Maelstrom
by EvoFTG
Summary: Out of fear for the unknowns, Deckerd allowed matters as it be throughout the eleven years since he first gained his sentience. However, a hungry force returning to life was throwing Deckerd into complete jeopardy. Slash teenage!YuutaXDeckerd. NO SHOTA.
1. Chapter 1

Deckerd saw the world around him at once clear and hazy from the flowing streaks of energies; bright multicoloured landscapes that were limitless in their wonders. The sky was not just blue but was painted with rainbows of colours…and the land below was a giant palette of indescribable hues. Unearthly chiming filled his audio receptors, both peaceful and exciting in a way Deckerd would have never conceived possible to be felt at the same instant. A dreamy, far-off voice joined the beautiful sounds, a voice that he belatedly realized to have come from the man that stood before him despite the unmoving lips, his arms outstretched and the hands spread wide as if holding an invisible wall in front of him. Though the face was that of Kashiwazaki's, he knew that the soul inside was not.

_Prepare yourself for the departure…_The soul of Kapia whispered to him through the mind. A sense of exhilaration filled Deckerd as he felt the mental touch of the alien pulling at his own being, inviting him to step beyond the boundaries of physical world and enter the new realm of pure energy. He welcomed it, surrendering himself to the invitation and willing to follow the lead of the other, to follow him to the farthest stars. And then…

"Deckerd, always be strong."

The small voice, almost insignificant in the echoes of the chiming and the gentle pull of Kapia's mind-voice, nevertheless pierced the haze of abandon that had wrapped around his mind. His soul, already on the verge of leaving, was compelled to flow back into his Earthly shell. The faces of people he knew and loved surrounded him for the final farewell, knowing that his leaving might not see his return for many, many years ahead. And among those faces, his optics caught on the one he loved most… It was in that briefest instant that Deckerd felt the strange remorse of incompleteness; there were so many things he had wished to do, so many more words he wished to say to this one human he loved above all else…but neither limbs nor words seemed sufficient to convey the desires within him. What he intended could only be shown in a pitiful fraction by the barriers of language and physical actions…

"Farewell…Boss," Deckerd said, coercing the forced smile to appear on his lips. Sorrow was threatening to bleed into his voice so he clamped his mouth shut. If he showed any sadness right now, it would only make the parting even harder than it already was. For the sake of Yuuta, he had to be the strong one of the pair.

"Goodbye, Deckerd."

It was a painful sight and sound. Yuuta's voice was loud and strong but the Brave Detective had been with him enough to recognize the mask. The uncrying surface was a fallacy; the glistening in his eyes was the window of truth to the emotions inside.

_Deckerd…_

Kapia's mind-voice, a mere faint echo in the wake of Yuuta, called to him. Yuuta was displaying courage and restrain that was astounding not just for his age circle but for humans in general. He was mistaken earlier; it was the human who was the stronger among them, one whose tears were quelled despite the hurt of doing it. Deckerd would not shame his strength by displaying weakness now… so he turned his attention inwards despite his heart's desire, forcing himself to cling on the inviting mind to guide him though it was with efforts that took more than Deckerd allowed to show.. It was still a difficult departure; not least by his affinity to the people he had had the chance to know. In the end, it was his remembering of Yuuta's goodbye, of the hoarse voice struggling not to crack at the utterance of the words that unleashed his soul. The human had granted him the permission to leave and so he would.

_I'm coming, Kapia_, Deckerd's mind answered, surprisingly peaceful despite the earlier turbulence; Yuuta had made it known that he would be alright and his heart was willing to let go of him. The exhilaration returned and bringing with it a sense joyous weightlessness. Deckerd felt himself leaving for the world of uncertainty beyond this Earth. Then…as if recognizing the soul that was about to depart, Deckerd's physical body moved on its own accord – but it was not movement to bring it somewhere. Joints contorted, gears turning and hydraulics hissed as Deckerd's humanoid form flipped unto itself, the limbs folding inwards to convert into his Corvette alternate mode. The car landed on the smooth concrete once the transformation was finished…and the Brave Detective could feel as if the last link of his metaphysical self to the world dissolved, freeing his life force to roam the world without the restraints of his physical body.

_Rise up, Deckerd…_

Again, Kapia's voice instructed. The Brave Detective obeyed…and to his surprise, his Corvette body remained unaffected; only a ghostly interpretation of his Earthly existence did. His life force took on a perfect copy of his robotic body as it ebbed out from the gaps on the Corvette's hood – and as it did, an aura of bright blue engulfed him in a brilliantly glittering sphere. The liberation from physical laws was as peculiar a feeling as it was euphoric; the weightlessness he previously experienced was magnified a thousandfold now, feeling as if he could fly to the heavens and above with this form. And yet, as he spread his arms to the side and welcomed this new freedom, Deckerd was suddenly aware the many eyes focused upon him – Mr. Saejima, who was like a father to him; Ayako and Seia, whose presences gave answers to their private questions in life; the neighbours and the Tomonaga sisters, painting colours with their smiles and laughter when the world was bleakly gray.

And Yuuta.

The human boy was practically the reason for his existence. The heart that he was about to share with Kapia's people were his gift…one that he treasured above all else, that was without replacement. It was for the preciousness of it that Deckerd volunteered to share it with others so Kapia's people would again knew the joy and wonder a heart can bestow, wanting Yuuta's kindness to touch them as it did him. But the bitter smile on Yuuta's visage was a poison to Deckerd, a smile hidden behind the obvious pride of Deckerd's thoughtful actions…even though it meant their separation.

"So, that's the life force from Deckerd's Super A.I?" Regina breathed; the girl's eyes were focused only on the general direction of himself; apparently, the sphere that surrounded him were opaque in a way that they were not able to see his metaphysical self inside.

"It's so beautiful," Ayako, the fiery-headed reporter with an attitude to match, whispered. Her voice was full of wonder but her look, like Regina's, was only fixed in Deckerd's rough location.

"Yes, indeed," Seia agreed. Her tone matched that of her companions, and that alone should have sowed a little pride in Deckerd – his apparent beauty was the reflections of his personality…and that had been shaped by the boy who was now standing as transfixed as the rest were at the scene.

And yet…Yuuta's unspoken sorrow, as well covered as it was, was greatly diluting any sense of temporary euphoria he felt before. However, before the sadness could grow into binding chains of torture, Kapia broke the spell of astonishment upon the rest of them when he himself announced, "I will be leaving now."

Barely had he said these, Kapia made good his promise to leave those he had touched as it was before…starting with Kashiwazaki. The man's eyes closed in concentration…and tendrils of aura leeched out of his body, converging above Kashiwazaki's head into a sphere of light which superficially resembled Deckerd's life force, save for the colour for which it was ruby red instead of the former's cerulean blue. Through the constant shimmering and glitters of the sphere's structure, Deckerd's metaphysical optics spied a humanoid form within it, as young-looking as Kashiwazaki himself though with much slimmer build. The hair that flowed over the narrow shoulders was thick, constantly stirring as if blown by gentle breeze though Deckerd could not feel any. Through the peculiar turquoise-blue strands of Kapia's hair, the tip of elven ears rose out from them, long and tapered.

The sudden absence of Kapia left Kashiwazaki's body momentarily empty; the knees buckled but Azuki rushed forward, receiving the prone body into her outstretched arms before he fell to the floor. Kashiwazaki's soul reawakened to his beloved hugging his neck, tender arms on his person making the confident young man stuttering with embarrassment.

"Azuki! What in blazes happened?" Such startling choice of words was not normal of him but disorientation was making his vocabulary poor. Yuuta's eldest sister paid no heed to the confusion, instead conveying her gladness of his return with a tight, sincere hug and an exclamation of gratitude and making the man's cheeks glowed with faint redness.

Throughout the heartwarming exchange, Deckerd could feel his own emotions stirred with longing of things that could never be. How he had wished for tangibility right there and then, if only to give the human a goodbye embrace…before physical touches became an impossibility with thousands of light years spanning between them. Never had he regretted his true body's greater size compared to Yuuta as he did now…for although Yuuta had done the hugging as best as it could before, it was a poor substitute of the complete encircling of warm arms round his girth that he dreamed of. He wanted to feel, at least once, of the bliss of simple contact when one you cared for embraced you with such tenderness. Now, his metaphysical form had the rough size of a human but the arms and hands would not be able to touch Yuuta as a living person could, not when his limbs would pass through solid objects as if they were no more real than a fleeting dream.

_We should be going now_, Kapia said from behind his own protective sphere. Deckerd swallowed – surprising himself that such earthly gesture was still possible in this spirit body – and nodded, somehow knowing that the alien would be able to see his wordless approval, unlike those around him. The time had finally come…

Kapia's sphere rose slowly, inviting Deckerd to do the same. For a few confusing moments, Deckerd wondered how would he move in this astral state – but even as he imagined himself following after the waiting alien, his ghost-self floated higher and higher, seemingly carried by a pair of wings invisible to his own optics. He understood then – the power of imagination was truest when he was a mere spirit being; the world was as his perception willed to see it so. The discovery made him smiled as he allowed himself to rise up to Kapia's level, effortlessly moving at no cost to his own except for his imagination. And yet, the happiness borne from this freedom of movement grew fainter with every feet of ascent, replaced by a dark, grim sense of unexplainable loss. Despite knowing the folly of it, that he would only invited more sorrow by doing so, the Brave Detective could not help but glance at the Earth several feet below, where his friends and family were waving their final goodbye to him.

"Goodbye, Deckerd!"

Yuuta's voice reached him, as clear as he would have heard it in his physical state and tore through him with the same terrible potency. Though possessing no physical heart as an organ, he nevertheless felt pain originating from his chest.

_Kapia…Let us leave quickly_, Deckerd urged desperately. It was a discomfort unexplainable by words when seeing the boy's smile did not quite reach the look in those grey-blue eyes. The mask of happiness that Yuuta donned to hide his sadness was because of Deckerd and knowing the terrible pain of it, the once-robot wanted the falsehood to end as fast as possible for his beloved human.

Thankfully, Kapia was emphatic enough to grant him his wish. Faster and faster they soared, their spheres circling each other in an accidental dance as Deckerd sought to escape their voices with the desperation of a dying man. Their figures dwindled to mere specks as Earth fell further away beneath them. Relief swept through him when their voices were no longer intelligible but merely faint echoes of what they once were…until Yuuta's final words broke through the fake tranquility that Deckerd created around himself:

"Deckerd, take care!"

It was all that Deckerd could do to prevent himself from crying out in frustration.

Gritting his teeth tightly until his jaws hurt, Deckerd tore his gaze away from the scenery below him and forcing his focus upon Kapia's rising sphere. His optics stung in a way he had never experienced; perhaps this was how humans felt when the sadness was too great that there was no stopping the tears that flowed from their eyes. Kapia had warned him that the journey to his homeworld would take a long time – and the healing of his people would take even longer – but the true extent of his fate had never came to him until now, when he noted his desire of returning to Earth someday despite the odds…and realized that, though Yuuta would keep his body safe and intact during his absence, the caretaker himself might not live long enough to see the day of his coming back…

So deeply lost in sorrow and futile desires, the Brave Detective barely noticed that they were now high enough that clouds were marching under them, a multilayered white and fluffy procession as far as the optics could see. Kapia was hovering atop curiously shaped cloud formations that roughly resembled an eagle's head. He was not moving except for the natural wavering of the sphere's energy flows; even the wind, which, at such high altitude should have been strong enough to buffet aircrafts, leave no mark whatsoever upon their dream-state bodies. The sudden halt in their progress puzzled him…shouldn't they leave for Kapia's planet as soon as possible?

_Before we go_, Kapia's voice echoed to him when Deckerd approached the other's hovering sphere, perhaps sensing the Brave Detective's bewilderment, _I have a matter to be settled here_.

Though Deckerd could not imagine what unfinished business there may be on Earth for this alien visitor, he did not object to the other's decision. If it pertained enough importance to be finished before the healing of Kapia's 'heartless' people could commence , then Deckerd would not stand in his way. Deckerd replied respectfully, _I understand. I'll follow you and see to it that it will be finished._

_I've been hoping that you would._

The statement, as curious and mysterious as the answerer himself, evoked questions faster than Deckerd could hope to voice them out. He still tried to voice one out among the many fighting to win his inquisitiveness but Kapia did not give him the chance – his sphere wavered slightly before starting off in a direction that he had yet revealed to his Earthling companion. Whether it was out of hesitance in telling the truth or simply in haste to accomplish the unfinished matters, Kapia's action was beyond Deckerd's reckoning but he nevertheless followed, willing his ghostly body to float after the dwindling red energy ball of the other.

The silence that followed as they rode the air was one of comfort rather than uneasiness, but Deckerd could not help but being bewildered at Kapia's wordlessness. When he managed to catch up to Kapia's sphere though, the Brave Detective had managed to stem his urge to ask for the details, fearing the rudeness that might be viewed in his impatience and trusting to the notion that he would be told of it sooner or later, when the time to do so was appropriate. Instead, he focused himself on the aspects of his surroundings, almost ethereally beautiful when seen through his metaphysical view…and the vast floating field of white clouds seemed solid enough to walk upon – or, to build an entire kingdom, for that matter. Of course, this bird's eye-view was not exactly alien to him – in his flight-capable J-Decker and Fire J-Decker form, he had had the luxury of seeing such splendid view – but he was always in the middle of a battle, or in situations which did not permit his lingering on the scenery before. It made him wonder all the more of the vast space that lies outside of this planet's atmosphere, of the unearthly sceneries and objects it held, mysteries and beauties that were hidden from eyes of those who had not the capability to travel beyond the meager distance permitted by the Earth-dwellers' laughable aerospace technology.

Thinking of the space, Deckerd's mind was again pulled to the direction of the space visitor; Kapia seemed to have encountered no trouble navigating himself through the constantly-shifting landscapes of the sky, where distinctive cloud formations could disappear as fast as it appeared. Whether he had an in-built sense of direction or he had learned how to use more than just the obvious hints to locate himself and his destination, Kapia showed no sign of irresoluteness of his chosen path, giving Deckerd no excuse to doubt him when he himself had no inkling of their locations or where they were going. In this body, the Brave Detective doubted that he was capable of exhaustion (or maybe he did, only more slowly than in his physical shell) but the movement of the sun, as well as his own estimation of time, showed that they had been travelling for quite a while. A mountaintop thrusting out of the field of clouds in the distance verified his assumption – the snow-capped granite peak was not immediately identifiable to Deckerd though his memories insisted that he had seen it before, however briefly it was. One thing he was certain of as he spotted the black rock formation, proudly standing its ground and slashing through the procession of clouds, was that he was a long way from home if the mountain which owned it was in sight…perhaps as much as half the world away from Japan.

_Kapia, where are – _

_We have arrived._

Kapia's sudden announcement startled Deckerd, more because he had expected for the journey to be longer rather than because of his interrupted question. Deckerd had little idea where they were…but the answer he craved came from his own mind rather than any verbal reply from his alien companion. As the Brave Detective dove after Kapia, whose sphere parted the clouds as it descended towards the ground, the granite cone revealed itself more and more, belonging not to a lone mountain but rather a range of mountains and hills so high that even their lowest brethren was still covered with snow at their tops. Dark and imposing, the mountainous region presented an even more familiar view to him, ghosts of memories coming up from his mind as he sought the source of this recognition…and realized that they were part of highlands that partially walled the border of Etonian republic.

Etonia. It seemed to belong to an entirely different lifetime when the life-changing mission sent him here and yet, it was barely weeks since the event had taken place. But…why would Kapia bring him here? That single question predominated all other bafflements swirling in Deckerd's mind as their flight brought them over the mountain range. Whatever the reason was, the Brave Detective hoped their visit here would be a swift one – not because of his eagerness to help Kapia's people but rather his reluctance to remain for long in a place where Death had given him a brush of its cold embrace before releasing him back to walk the world of the living. Not only did he was granted a second chance at life, it came with an unexpected gift of independent sentience, no longer needing the Super A.I to give him personality and life. Even until now, Deckerd's logic could not grasp the miracle of his resurrection. He still wondered about the reasons behind his return to life…but the mystery of it improved his appreciation of life as much as it did his fear of death's unknowns.

It was nightfall here, in Etonia; on the opposite side of Earth from Japan, Deckerd's home would still saw the sun shining on the sky, though maybe for not much longer. Etonian countryside was a dark landscape with few specks of lights where houses dotted the land. Trees were dominant residents, cones and firs that remained evergreen through the harshest of winters, reflecting the people that made this land their home. Even the Fahrzeugs, misled though they were, displayed admirable persistence and enthusiasm with which they pursued their ambitions…if only they treaded the right path, the world would surely benefit from the great minds of both mother and son. However, their treachery had transgressed all moralities there were ever existed; such crimes needed to end, and end permanently.

In the distance, Deckerd's heart grew chilled as a structure came into his view; it was out of harmony with everything that surrounded it, a blight upon the tranquil land. The domed top was a failed attempt to reduce its aching prominence in a place where serenity should have ruled, its gigantic size seemingly a mockery to the stones and trees it dwarfed. Perhaps such a negative perception would not have possible if Deckerd was not reminded that the building once housed the induced-sleeping figure of Eva Fahrzeug, the mother of Neuva, the mastermind behind the most advanced computer chip on Earth. It was as if Eva Dome itself was corrupted by her tainted heart, built for goodness but eventually mutated into monstrosity that was beyond healing. Thank goodness that, despite the challenges and difficulties, her maliciousness was finally stopped before it could do more damage.

Eva Dome grew larger in his view as Deckerd and Kapia approached the building. Dark and lifeless, the structure itself and the area surrounding it bore scars of the titanic struggles between the then-twisted Chieftains and the Brave robots; dents, littering of metals and more gruesomely, bits of robotic limbs and mangled bodies lay strewn on the Earth unceremoniously. Deckerd felt a twinge of anger at the thought of these sentient lives perished for no good causes. For the community of human geniuses, the final passing of such renowned name was a lamentable event though they had admitted that such action was necessary. For Deckerd, he bore little else but hatred for her manipulative mind, sparing only a meager grudging acknowledgement for her creation of Fahrzeugronne which, through the kindness of Yuuta, was consequently transformed into Super A.I. When Kapia made to land upon the convex rooftop of the Dome, the Brave Detective felt a great revulsion rising within him as if the building was dirty in a way which simple washing would not be suffice to undo the filth. However, the alien waited in perfect patience for Deckerd to follow suit, compelling the once-robot to do as was expected…if only to get through the matters as quickly as possible. He willed his own sphere to alight beside Kapia's despite the apprehension he felt.

Kapia's intention was still as mysterious as a fog-bound island; Deckerd's mind could not pierce the thickness of it which bothered him greatly…that was, until a disturbing sight ensnared his attention so completely that Kapia's purpose seemed all but important. Eva Dome suffered as much as the land did when Neuva Fahrzeug, along with his Victim-led army of Chieftain robots, launched a massive raid upon the place to free the Fahrzeug female; the rooftop sported a large hole bored open by Victim's powerful fist in order to reach Neuva's mother within. Her deep slumber had been especially induced by a special gas circulating inside her Sleeping Pod – Victim had deposited the portable chamber right beside the hole he himself had made once she was awakened and said object had remained there ever since. It had survived the cacophony of battles and nobody had the foresight to bring it along into the Big Mother. The floating fortress had now seen its end in the bottom of the ocean, along with its mistress. Eva and Neuva Fahrzeug had been declared dead for nobody could perceive that a human could survive such cataclysmic end…

The in-built screen mounted on the Sleeping Pod's control console was saying otherwise, though; the faint glow emanated from it was lively with telemetries of Eva Fahrzeug.

Deckerd had known that Eva's body was constantly monitored throughout her slumber, her vital signs inspected via nano-machines embedded under her skin which collected information of her well-being and wirelessly fed it back to the central computer installed in her Sleeping Pod itself. Should the Fahrzeug mother had really perished beneath the waves, the screen would have naught to display. However, the flickering display of her pulses, heartbeats, temperature…all signs of Eva's survival was there for Deckerd to watch, seemingly challenging the Brave Detective to prove otherwise. This would have been a nightmare to other Brave Polices; to Deckerd, it was like staring through the window of hell itself where the worst of scenario being staged for Deckerd's torment.

The once-robot was consumed by fear so great that he felt like standing against a foe of gargantuan proportion. Fighting against the odds, Eva – and likely her loyal son too – had not only survived the fall and her fortress's destruction but were alive and well enough to make further threats probable, if the telemetries shown were wholly dependable. Without her Chieftain armies – all of them either perished while pursuing her mad goal or turning against their so-called Mother, for those who were unfortunate enough to survive the war – Eva and Neuva posed laughable menace to the Brave Polices but towards Yuuta, who was merely a child of flesh and bone…the beloved Boss of the Brave Polices stood little chance of surviving. Lacking physical internals in his current spirit-like form did nothing to assuage the sudden coldness that chilled Deckerd's core at the notion of Yuuta's demise.

Kapia's proximity to his own self registered sluggishly into his mind; in all of sudden, the alien's people took on secondary priority as the urge to salvage the worsening matters overtook Deckerd's being. This information was known only to himself…the other Brave Polices were ignorant of Yuuta's compromised situation. Turning to face the turquoise-haired alien, Deckerd's mouth was ready to voice his intention but the words were cut short by a shake of Kapia's head…and a reply that circulated anger in Deckerd's heart:

_You can't always be there to protect him. When you follow me, Deckerd, you have no such option as coming to his rescue…_

It was an honest fact but in Deckerd's anxiety-burdened mind, the statement had a tone of denial within it. If his failure to warn the others of the Fahrzeugs ultimately caused Yuuta's death, the tragedy would be upon Deckerd's shoulder to bear the guilt – and as far as Deckerd was concerned, ignorance and hoping for the best when he could have made the change effectively made him as worst as being the murderer himself.

_Yuuta needs my help!_ Deckerd shouted; his rage was manifesting itself in the brightening glow of his sphere, the surface chaotic with energy from his life-force. Yet, he was cautious enough to rein in his outburst despite his stubbornness to hold his gaze_, I will not stand by and let him face the threat alone! _

_You misunderstand me,_ Deckerd, Kapia's voice was filled with melancholy – a sympathizing tone that mysteriously shook the other as Kapia uttered the words. It peeled away the layers of anger that his anxiety had lain upon his heart,_ To protect him is an instinct you can't be parted with…If you still persist to follow me, if you decide to leave anyway…you will not have the means to follow your instinct anymore once the journey begins…_

_But we're still here!_ Deckerd's anger was now tainted with anxiety; with every ticking second, the Fahrzeugs were one step closer into fulfilling their revenge. When he next spoke, Deckerd neither realize nor care of the subtle plea in his argument, _I can fly faster than J-Decker or Fire J-Decker ever could in this form! It may still not be too late to warn them! Let me go – I swear it, I WILL return and uphold my promise to save your people!_

Deckerd's pessimism expected a negative reaction to his request – specifically, an outright denial to administer the warning to his friends – but again, he was baffled when Kapia's eyes still maintained that sympathizing look they wore earlier. With sureness that was alarming, Kapia said firmly, but with gentleness within it that made Deckerd felt like a child, _You do NOT want to leave._

The words triggered a reflexive action for argument for it hit Deckerd right in his uncertainty concerning his self-made decision. However, whatever counteractive statement the Brave Detective was about to spill out was filtered into mouth-gaping silence as his innermost conscience rebelled…. Kapia's words had concerned his DESIRE to leave, not his determination or the necessity of it. How could he said otherwise, when to defy it was a lie that was crime against his very being?

_You do not want to leave_, Kapia's firmness held as he continued on, blue eyes steadily crumbling Deckerd's doubt with his unsettling stare that pierced right to his very soul_, You are bound here, to this Earth that you call home. To friends and family who love you…and to the giver of your heart that you love…_

In the protective sphere that enveloped his ethereal body, where forces of energy that could rip his spirit asunder could not reach, Kapia's words had found their way into Deckerd's turbulent heart. What he heard from the mouth of the other was raw truth that could neither be denied nor hidden. He was silenced for there was no 'but' to it, not anything that seemed convincing or genuine enough to say without spitting untruths as big as the world itself.

_But…I have to help,_ Deckerd's voice eventually found use again though choked and stricken as it was, _I have felt the joy of life and sentience, Kapia. It grieves me when I know that your people had lost theirs…_

From the looks in Kapia's eyes, Deckerd recognized the understanding flickering within those cerulean pools of blue. He was the last of his kind to have retained his sense of being, of individuality and uniqueness that one's heart gave. He perceived the unwritten duty upon his shoulders as Deckerd himself had – the sentience he still possessed had to be shared so others may yet know what it was before the spiritual cleansing. However, Kapia's understanding reached far deeper than the young mind of the Brave Detective could for his life had been longer than his youthful appearance let on. He reached out a hand that, despite its ethereal look, grasped at Deckerd's shoulder as firmly as if both he and Deckerd were solid beings. Deckerd's sphere shimmered where the arm had passed through but its integrity remained, perhaps recognizing the intruder as friendly instead of a menace to his survival. He could feel warmth from the fingers on his shoulder but too little calmness radiated from it, not near enough to put him at ease wherelse it would have been enough had the limbs belonged to his beloved Yuuta.

_Your offer is a kind one, Deckerd. However, as much as I appreciate it, I cannot accept your aid_, Kapia's voice was a mere whisper to Deckerd's audio receptors but there was no way for the Brave Detective to fail in hearing his next words, _Yuuta had allowed you to leave on your request – he let you go because such is your wish…yet, I've seen his pain and grief for his own decision. For that, I cannot buy my people's happiness at the cost of others._

Against such blunt arguments, Deckerd had no words to counter them even if he desired so. However, his heart was screaming the folly with which his decision was bringing for deep within him, a subconscious knowledge existed of his state of being that Deckerd had never been exactly aware of. All the while he knew, though no explanation came with the knowledge, was that ever since he was granted a second chance at life, his attachment to Yuuta grew all the closer that no words could do justice to describe his dependency on the boy. However, if Deckerd's young mind was still baffled to this increasing closeness, such puzzle did not exist to Kapia for he had seen and heard enough to understand the pieces in their entirety – and it was this knowledge that he intended to give the Brave Detective as he moved his hand down to the once-robot's torso, the palm lightly resting just below the decorative red metal at the top of the V-shaped piece of his chest. Deckerd shivered instinctively – but it was not a reaction that he gave out for the same reasons his body did whenever Yuuta comforted him with his touches; Kapia's hand felt warm and tingling with spiritual power, far, far stronger than that possessed by the detective. If before Deckerd had perceived the deceiving youthfulness in his appearance, only now did he truly realized that here was a being whose age spanned the range of many men's lifetimes, gathering wisdom innumerable as the years passed him by.

_Your innate kindness is at war with your conscience – that is understandable_, Kapia went on; his eyes grim and serious as he spoke, _But there is one thing that you have yet to understand; or else this confusion and doubt would not have existed in the first place._

_What are you – _

As Deckerd prepared himself to reply, Kapia's hand was suddenly filled with shocking hotness that was almost painful – but it did not really harm the spirit-like detective. The heat coursed through his body, dispersing its intensity as it went that Deckerd felt his pain lessened with time gradually. His gasp wound down to silence while he made peace with the unexpected sensation, willing his body to accept it as long as it did not hurt. However, his real surprise lay not in the suddenness of the heat's coming – but rather because of the effects it left on him for Kapia did not only supplied him with meaningless warmth; it was the effect from transferring large amount of energy from Kapia – whose body had stored and nurtured it throughout his spiritual travel – into Deckerd, heightening his senses to a whole new level and enabling him to perceive what had been hidden before.

What Deckerd perceived was explanation to a part of his bewilderment, almost literally. For Kapia's sharing of his surplus power revealed to the detective's optics beautiful azure strings of energy, flimsy-looking and almost delicate from the way it glowed, that seemed to come out from a mysterious source beyond his sight and connected themselves to Deckerd's chest where his heart would have been would he was a human. The energy pulsed weakly, dispiritedly, as if spanning the leagues between himself and…whatever it was at the other end was a daunting task but it glittered nonetheless, gleaming with multicoloured sparks like stars on a blue sky; each beat unleashing out rich cerulean radiance that joined back the main threads, racing along them until they dispersed into Deckerd's form, bathing him in beautiful glow.

_What…is this?_ Deckerd asked, fascinated by the unearthly sight; his chest was literally connected to the string of light which wound and twisted in the most surreal way, like a dye in water disturbed by an invisible eddy or current, riding across the sky until it disappeared beyond the horizon.

_You have felt your closeness to Yuuta growing when you came back to life_, Kapia began while still keeping his hand was firmly planted on Deckerd's front_, and this is the reason why. You have wondered, I am sure, why you are resurrected when the Fahrzeugs killed you. It is because your body has been filled by the life force from Yuuta when yours departed…_

Deckerd would have shouted but his surprise was so intense that all he could manage was a half-gasp and a frozen gape of his mouth. His fingers, previously prodding the energy-strings out of his inquisitiveness drew back instinctively as if his careless gesture had left filth in the azure stream, a thing that, if Kapia was right, was almost sacred to the Brave Detective. _You mean…this…this is Yuuta's life-force?_

But Deckerd needed no affirmation to the question that both acknowledged to be rhetorical; he had felt the closeness, almost a reverence to the energy-force even before he was aware of its identity. Though its warmth comforted him and its beauty gladdened his heart in much the same way Yuuta's presence did, Deckerd began to notice of the weakening glow of the light the threads gave out. Deckerd ran his fingers through them, cautiously, tenderly, as if a slight disturbance would compromise its existence, and was disturbed to find that his sight had not been lying; there was no exact description to give the feeling that Deckerd experienced, but to him, it felt as if the very liveliness was disappearing from the energy-strings. Distraught by his discovery, Deckerd turned towards Kapia, his stare replacing the voice in requesting for explanation.

Kapia understood the question posed without the need to verbally ask it and replied – and for once, his tone wavered as if his previous confidence had worn off_, Do not assume that I know for certain everything that is happening to you. Even among the wisest of my kind, the subject of life and the force behind it is a complex, unpredictable study. I can only make an educated guess concerning your situation…though I am quite sure in saying that, whether you realize it or not, you are still unwilling to leave…and that you yourself mourn for your own decision. You're losing the will to live, so to speak…and the emptiness you feel is because of your sorrow. Distance alone does not affect the sharing of life-force between two…but emotions certainly do._

Deckerd stared at the alien with a renewed awe at the seemingly mythical opinions that Kapia's mouth uttered. Yet, deep down, as nonsensical as it might sound and despite Kapia's admittance to his 'shallow' knowledge, the Brave Detective could find no other explanation to his condition. Who was he to question the logic of things when he himself was brought to sentience through seemingly miraculous circumstances? Lost in his thoughts, Deckerd was caught by surprise when Kapia withdrew his hand, thus severing the contact he established with the Brave Detective. The surplus energy dissipated into the surrounding, and with it, gone Deckerd's heightened senses; though they were still there, connecting himself and Yuuta with the boy's life-force until the latter's end finally come, the energy streams faded from the once-robot's vision as his sensitivity was returned to what it was once. But the beats of life from them, though fainter now with the loss of his sensitivity, remained to his senses as if reminding him of this unbroken connection he had with the boy.

_But, Kapia…your people…I can't just leave and – _

Kapia's sad, solemn gaze silenced the Brave Detective from resuming his sentence; there was finality in the alien's eyes and also determination, as if all had been thought out before the journey even started. _You are indeed a suitable person to help me heal my people…but you are NOT the only one. I can't take you away from your friends and family so I've set my sight on another. However, when the Big Mother sunk under the sea, I was convinced that 'he' perished with the Fahrzeugs…I admit; I've led you to Etonia because I was searching for any surviving Chieftain along the way that can help me cure my people – besides attempting to convince you that you are more needed here than at my homeworld. Yet, here we came across proofs of the Fahrzeugs surviving the crash; if that is so…there is still a chance that my 'chosen' survive it too._

_If I may ask, who is this 'chosen one' you've spoken of?_ But Deckerd, gathering the pieces together throughout their conversations and putting his detective sense to use, knew instinctively whom the other was referring to, one whose heart knew the kindness of Yuuta in the late hour of his life but repented his mistakes with sacrifices of his own. He was never a Brave Police, even becoming their arch nemesis for a time, an enemy so bitter that it seemed that there would be no forgiving for him at first – but Yuuta grieved for his passing all the same for his life was short and full with pain; evilness that was not of his design were thrust into his hands, wrapped in subtle lies that made him the black sheep in the eyes of the law, and he served the twisted ends of the Fahrzeugs until his own conscience was awoken to the truth.

_I was talking, as you might have guessed, of Victim O'Rand. _

The uttering of the name was a revelation that cured Deckerd of his dumbness, a sunlight that scattered the bewilderment of journeying in mist. Kapia's strange eyes, young and yet aged with wisdom of unnumbered years, locked with Deckerd's optics and there was uncertainty within the beautiful amber orbs of the latter; home was calling but Deckerd's heart loathed to part in such hurriedness, feeling as if his sudden leaving was a mess that Kapia would be forced to solve on his own. Reading this on the Brave Detective's countenance, Kapia let out a well-intended chuckle for the other's naivety and said, _You have a kind heart, Deckerd of the Brave Police. But your place is not with me and your purpose is different from mine. That task is for another; rest assured that Yuuta's deeds will be known far beyond this world and Victim will be the vessel for it._

The last chain was finally severed; the benevolence inherent in him could finally find peace that Kapia did not grant him freedom without anyone to shoulder the responsibility in his stead. Unspoken words rang through them, an understanding of the time for true parting; the paths laid before them were different for each though neither was of lesser importance than the other. And with it, peace born from acceptance descended upon them, decorating their farewells with blessed silence.

_Thank you, Kapia. We will never forget you,_ Deckerd muttered, and though the words were simple, the rich glow of his optics spoke of the depth of his gratitude that words were not sufficient to convey – but they were perceived easily enough by the alien. Kapia nodded his understanding; that Deckerd had reached the end of his restraint and was desperate to return for the life and death of his beloved human depended on his swiftness.

_Go now, Deckerd. He is waiting for you._

The quietness was broken by Kapia's voice and his words roused Deckerd, unwittingly reminded of the tears shed from Yuuta's eyes the night before. For the first time ever, Deckerd truly remarked the hidden vow in the more obvious one, when Yuuta had promised to stem his crying until reaching adulthood, he had also made a secret vow to wait as long as his life permitted until the day of Deckerd's return…that boy had nurtured a belief amidst his sorrow against all odds. For all the unnecessary grief he had caused the human boy, the detective felt in himself the responsibility to save Yuuta the torture of seemingly endless waiting. Even as his thoughts strayed more and more towards the sole Tomonaga boy, Deckerd's body rose off the Eva Dome as if finally free from whatever strings that rooted him there, finally able to respond to the silent call of his longing. Below, Kapia the alien visitor watched in silence as Deckerd ascended the heavens once again, perhaps for the final time in his spirit form; in his eyes was a yearning for the love aplenty in Deckerd for his people, but he approved of his departure all the same, for the detective's heart had and would always belong here, and theft it would be had Kapia brought Deckerd away even with the latter's consent.

Higher and higher Deckerd rose until he was above the clouds – though before the whiteness obscured his vision of the Earth beneath him, one final glance was spared for Kapia and nodded his heartfelt thanks for the other's consideration. Kapia lifted his hand, acknowledging both his farewells and gratitude, before a force unseen and powerful pulled at Deckerd, bidding him to quickness as he had never done before; from a total standstill, Deckerd's spirit-form burst flight of unbelievable speed, like a kite high in the winds whose taut string finally gave way to the strength of Mother Nature. He passed through the dark valleys of Etonia silent and swift, soaring over the encircling mountains at the country's border and over the wide, wide expanse of the dark sea, the waters as troubled as Deckerd's heart. Hundreds of miles were eaten away as if they were no more than a stone's throw distance for desperation was lending itself speed for the Brave Robot. Memories of his journey with Kapia led him on until at last, the familiar shores of his home was again within sight; the shores of the Land of the Rising Sun.

Deckerd gave no heed to the proud buildings of the city, instead steering himself towards the house of the Tomonaga family. Dark thoughts hovered over his mind like black clouds whose rain was torment rather than relief, blocking out the sky of his soul even as Nanamagari City came within view. The thrumming within him, the very beats of life-force sent from his beloved human so that Deckerd's life could continue, grew frantic and irregular and by that alone, the Brave Detective knew that something had indeed gone amiss. Fear stretched the mere seconds his spirit-form needed to reach his destination into hours; the horror that engulfed him afterwards seemed like an eternal thing because the Fahrzeugs, the nightmares of all the sentient robots, were indeed there. Both mother and child stood side by side before the gate of the Tomonaga's residence – and Yuuta was there too, along with his two sisters, the three kneeling not in defeat but in helplessness. In the hand of Nueva was a gun smoking from what was unmistakably very recent shot and Deckerd's keen optics saw the charred hole on the fabric of Yuuta's cloth.

The deceivingly smooth, clear voice of Nueva Fahrzeug rang like bells in the still night air; his declaration was one that Deckerd would never able to forget, even haunting his dreams for years afterwards: "I'll kill you, no matter how many tries it takes!"

And Deckerd screamed in answer, ignoring that these humans could not have heard his voice when he was a spirit while the others walk the world of the living, his rage and fear no longer stood his restraints when the sun of his life was threatened, _You will not live to try more!_

Instinct guided him now; Deckerd dove towards the criminals with all the speed he could muster, faster even than when he had traversed the lands and waters between here and Etonia. He gathered all the terrible strength of anger and hatred to him, and like a bullet loose from the muzzle of a gun, the detective plunged straight ahead for the son of the Fahrzeug with speed unmatched by the fastest reflex on Earth. The force of his fury was unleashed as his energy sphere collided with the human and burnt the hand that had dared pointing the gun at Yuuta. Nueva grunted in a mixture of surprise and pain but Deckerd passed him by; his current form allowed only limited ability for both defense and offense – and the detective had no intention to be idle. He sped off towards the body he had left behind; his earthly shell, the now-unliving Corvette parked at the side of the house, glowed bright blue as Deckerd's life-force was suffused into it. Instantly, miraculously, the disembodied spirit of the Brave Detective brought the shell back to its former life as his consciousness was again throned within it; the very air crackled with energy as the assimilation was concluded, creating spirals of wind that was not the making of the natural weather. But activities had not ceased for the Corvette form of Deckerd, which was now creaking, unfolding, rearranging its various parts until the car was no more and Deckerd the Brave Detective stood once again in the world of the naked eyes.

"HOLD UP!" Deckerd shouted even as he turned towards the Fahrzeugs, one hand reaching for his gun and the other for his infamous BP Badge. Both objects were displayed in the plain view of the two criminals and Deckerd's voice rang as harsh as grinding stones, "I am Deckerd of the Brave Police!"

Deckerd's primeval instinct was to shoot the villains without care for the consequences – but through the mist of his anger a small voice came to his audio receptors, and the sound of it calmed, if not outrightly quenched the turbulence in him and it whispered, "…Deckerd?"

His optics were naturally drawn away from the disgusting pair, towards a person far more pleasing to his hearing and sight. Yuuta stood exactly where he was, his sisters clinging to him in worry and gladness intermingling with each other. That fair face was pale with fear that wrenched at Deckerd's heart and though he could see no stains of blood on his person, the Brave Detective was nevertheless anxious for Yuuta's fare. His tone was harsh but only because of the fear still refusing to relax its grip on the robot officer, "Yuuta, are you okay?"

Apparently, shaken by his ordeal and bewildered by Deckerd's sudden return, Yuuta could only manage a nod and a hum of acknowledgement – though they were all that the Brave Detective required. He could feel the mechanical joints in his limbs loosened, relaxed now in the knowledge that his arrival was not a second too late. His tight expressions softened – but before true happiness could find place in him, Nueva's angry curse broke the temporary peace, "Damn it!"

And taking the hand of his mother, Nueva led her into the darkness of the alley. The aggression within Deckerd was re-kindled at this attempt of escape and again his voice shattered the silence of the night, commanding them to stop. They did not obey, of course, because Deckerd's optics shone with promise of retribution far worse than what they had in mind for Yuuta; on they ran, not even risking a brief glance towards the robot and his charge, their footsteps finally fading into quietness when their outlines were swallowed by the shadows of the night. Deckerd would have pursued them to the end of the world and beyond if needed be but the encircling or arms round his legs put stop not only to his intended movements, but also any other thoughts of violence; when Yuuta smiled, the world was suddenly a more forgiving place, so it seemed in the optics of the leader of the Brave Police.

"Deckerd, is that really you?"

The face turned up towards him was aglow with gladness that Deckerd had robbed with his departure and now, it was returned to the visage of this boy he cared so deeply about. There were glints of moisture in the blue-grey eyes but the tears were not for mourning; and for the first time since Deckerd had left as a spiritual being, a genuine smile grew on his mouth. He went down to his knee and said, "Yes, it's me, all right."

Yuuta's smile widened all the more at the assurance, Deckerd's name falling from his tongue as a happy exclamation. But then, bewilderment changed the boy's expression and he asked Deckerd the question that would have burdened him had Kapia did not prepare for him the answer, "Are you sure it's okay to be back here?"

"Kapia had someone else in mind from the very start."

"…Who would that be?"

And Deckerd told him the name that had been previously spoken to him – but the full reasons of his return did not pass to Yuuta's ears. He had not the heart to burden the boy's mind with thoughts of responsibility of Deckerd's existence; the life that connected them belonged to Yuuta and if he went, neither could Deckerd survive. A sudden shame gripped him; what weakness was more despicable than forgetting the gratitude for gifts so great? Deckerd had been foolhardy to assume that he was beyond dependency for Yuuta; when fear of loneliness had him and he had asked – no, begged – for companionship, Yuuta freely gave it to him through vow sown with tears, fearing Deckerd's permanent deactivation if he refused. Yet, today he was the one who asked for his leave, forsaking this planet in illusion that he had done enough deeds to have paid all debts.

"Victim…survived?" Yuuta's eyes widened but not in fear and wonder filled his face. His voice blew away Deckerd's reverie and brought the robot detective back to the present, just in time to see him smiled for one he only knew in fleeting time. "That's wonderful! But…will he be able to help Kapia?"

"I'm sure he can," Deckerd replied and he believed it. Perhaps Victim would prove to be a better teacher and healer than Deckerd could be, having passed through darkness and emerged from it, scathed yet all the more learned because of the experiences. Pride welled inside Deckerd at Yuuta's thoughtfulness; the Tomonaga boy was still concerned with the matters of Kapia's people though he was in no way answerable to their fate.

"…and you, Deckerd? Will you stay with me?"

And there it was, neatly hidden underneath layers of his delight at Victim's fate, the plea without words to have Deckerd remained with him. It had cost Yuuta all of his restraints to say goodbye to his dearest friend before and knowing that 'welcome back' might never had the chance to be uttered again. To repeat the procedure all over again was too much an emotional burden for the boy, one that Deckerd too could not bear to see him in again. Glancing briefly in the direction of Yuuta's sisters and finding that the hope that painted Yuuta's face was also present on theirs, Deckerd let his whisper being carried to the all ears that would hear him, "As long as I live, Yuuta, I will." And he really would, for no greater commands save those from this boy himself would rid him from Yuuta's side.

And Yuuta suddenly laughed amidst his gentle sobs, so intense his emotions were that stirred his soul until he could not decide on which reactions to give. Small fingers clenched at the hard edges of the detective's leg, his warm body pressed close to the metal surface in as best an embrace as their size difference allowed and he whispered, "I'm glad you came back, Deckerd."

"So am I, Yuuta," Gently, Deckerd laid a single finger on Yuuta's bowed back while the boy silently cried his joy with his face pressed against the metals of his leg. His joyful heart cried with the Tomonaga boy though his optics did not, only glowing in that manner which had always signified his pleasure. Deckerd needed not go anywhere because his place in the world would be forever he was right now. "So am I."


	2. Chapter 2

A drastic rise in temperature for these past few days were trying for Tokyo residents and the 'people' affected did not only include those who were fleshed; the Brave Police Detectives had problems of their own to cope in the climbing heat even when they were lounging lazily in Decker Room, a fact that the robots were quite grateful for because nobody could find pursuing criminals during hot days particularly appealing.

"I don't like it," Duke's voice broke the lazy silence in the room, instantly garnering himself attention from his fellow Brave Polices. "It feels too...peaceful. Too good to be true. What if something happens under our noses and we know nothing about it?"

The heat of the day was not as merciless to robotic beings as it was to humans, but their systems did get more taxed than normal in lowering their core temperature, resulting in them performing below their par...or, as DrillBoy put it, 'feeling kinda lazy to do anything'. Though coming from the youngest Build Team member, it sounded a little strange, seeing as the driller was usually the most restless among the Brave Polices. For Power Joe, though, the description was perfectly fitting to his current mood.

"Chill out," the power shovel said from his seat, his torso slumped on the desk and fingers playing with a pen, scrabbling senselessly on the poor notepad before him, "Don't think anyone feelin' up for crime today. Or tomorrow, if it gets any hotter."

There was no argument from the English knight though he was not about to stop worrying just yet, especially if the words came from Power Joe.

"Power Joe's right. And about you worrying things that we might miss...that is exactly why Shadowmaru and DrillBoy are out there." McCrane said; the robot was uncharacteristically lazy too and had opted to fill his free time to polish his gun. Now, Power Joe, with his carefree attitude, was not much of a guarantee for Duke but McCrane...well, the eldest of the Build Team was a different story. After all, Duke's own leadership WAS patented from the crane-robot himself...

The motorcyclist detective, GunMax was aroused from his catatonia by the sudden presence of voices in the Decker Room and gave a superfluous 'yawn' – the Brave robots were not initially programmed with such biological reaction at first but constant contact with humans had stimulated their super into incorporating it into their behaviours, serving as extra measures to activate their systems after a resting period – and peered over the mounting paperworks that he stubbornly refused to start working on. "Baby, if you're really worried, just call them with the BP badge. Simple as that. Case closed. Now if you please, Mr. Knight, I'm trying to sleep here!"

Though it was Duke himself who had insisted to be called as 'Knight' once, that was when he was still a newcomer to the Robot Detective section of Japanese Police Force; now, however, the calling of him with that very designation made him uncomfortable for he was reminded how distant he was to the original members of the Brave Police then, of the coldness he had to endure in the times before their friendships. GunMax's unchangeable sassiness compelled the green bot to harrass his team mates every chance he got – the easiest way to do so with Duke was by using the now-forbidden name, of course – but Duke had gotten used to his way that he had become somewhat immune to it. The shock of GunMax's name-calling lasted no more than a second before his suggestion sunk into the English knight-bot's mind; Duke found the simple solution somewhat reasonable and already had his hand raised to his torso compartment to retrieve his Badge when another familiar presence contributed his voice to the discussion.

"I don't really think you need it, Duke."

If Duke's respect for McCrane came from his leadership capability, this voice's owner commanded even more respect from the ambulance; from him, Duke had received not only his 'heart' like the rest of his fellow BPs but also his incredible courage. Here was a Brave Police that he once had the arrogance to assume that he could easily fulfill the other's role as the head of Japanese Robot Detective section – and was swiftly proven how wrong he was. The first of them all to come online, Deckerd the Brave Detective was an irreplaceable member of the team – and for the moment, he was calmly tending to his many reports that needed finishing . His typing fingers did not miss a beat as he spoke but Duke knew well that Deckerd perceived all of what had transpired between himself and the others even as he focused his optics on the computer's screen. With a final press to the keyboard, Deckerd whirled his chair around to lock his gaze with his Second-In-Command, "If Shadowmaru and Drillboy need us, they will call. It's best not to disturb them unreasonably."

"And he's quite right about it too, _dan'na_."

Neither of them realized when the Decker Room's door was opened, nor of the arrival of one of their own until he had spoken; Shadowmaru, expectedly in his dog/wolf form, came padding among their own, his optics flashing with each word uttered. In his animalistic body, his increased stealth and silence explained well of the unnoticed arrival...unlike DrillBoy, who stumbled into the place only a second later, feet dragging tiredly as he made his way to the Build Team's desk.

"You've returned already?" Deckerd's voice hinted of his bewilderment; indeed, patrol rounds usually took most of their working hours that to have them both back this early was something uncommon.

"_Hai_," Shadowmaru's airy voice was unaffected as his form unfolded to become a humanoid robot of his root mode, "We encounter no problems during our rounds so I see no harm to get back early. So yes, calling us will be pointless because there's nothing that needs the Brave Police." The twinkle in his green optics made it clear that the last sentence was for Duke, making the Knight retreated further into his seat. The ninja bot knew well how to embarrass him!

"Beats flying in hot weather, that's for sure," DrillBoy chirped in and simultaneously saving the ambulance from the requirement to reply. The young Build member practically threw himself into the chair, eager for the rest; his heated systems demanded it even though he was usually against anything that did not involve being active.

Deckerd offered a smile but no reply to suggest his disapproval. Admittedly, Duke found Shadowmaru's actions understandable under the circumstances – and his reasoning was logical as well. Receiving no protest from his superior, the violet mecha made his way towards his seat...which was another uncommon sight, seeing that the Ninja Detective was rarely seen sitting in his chair at all, him being almost constantly out doing field works and such. However, having recently finished his case, Shadowmaru was perhaps unoccupied by any task for the time being, save to submit his investigation report once he was done with it. Duke gave a relenting sigh – it seemed that it was definitely going to be an uneventful day for the Brave Polices; he was about to share this opinion with Deckerd – he already turned his chair to regard the blue-armoured Detective – and was stopped from speaking, not by the realization that Deckerd was back to focusing on his report typing, but rather by the expression that graced his face.

It hit Duke just how familiar the expression seemed to him before realizing that he himself had felt the same shortly after his own introduction into the Japan Brave Police. Being separated from his Lady was definitely a blow to his super A.I then before his newly formed friendship with Deckerd and the rest soothed much of the hurt afterwards. Oh yes, he could still communicate with the girl if he wished so but being far away physically from those that you love was not something that he wished upon anyone...especially so with Deckerd. In his case, Duke's love for Lady had been what one would bear towards his creator – appropriately so, since Regina was his programmer – and already it seared through his very being; what Deckerd and Yuuta shared was something much, much more. The boy's unbiased friendship early in the bot's building stage had granted him a 'heart' and that had been a significant point in both of their lives, paving the way for their casual friendship to grow into something even deeper than any of them could have fathomed; witnessing Yuuta's devastation at Deckerd's every suffering was proof enough of the boy's affection, putting Duke's own sadness at having himself so sternly treated by Regina to shame. Duke had no doubt whatsoever to vouch that Deckerd's feelings was just as intense...

...which was not surprising to see the Brave Detective's sorrow when Yuuta outgrew his kid's carefree life and was transferred away for his high school years outside of Tokyo. Unlike himself with Lady, Deckerd's contact with Yuuta while he was away was limited, and whenever the opportunity to do so was granted, it was pitifully brief. The robot behaved as if it was of small concern; the Knight couldn't say for the others but Duke was certainly not fooled by his acts.

"Duke?"

Snapping out of his daydreaming and silently berating himself for his lack of self-control, the English robot turned to face the speaker – who turned out to be another member of the Build Team – and replied, "Yes?"

"You alright?" Dumpson asked; the Wrestler Detective waived his burly hand around as if unsure whether he had Duke's attention or otherwise. "I've been calling you dozens of times!"

"Sorry, I was just lost in my works," Duke almost failed to hold the amused smile from forming on his lips, remembering Lady's previous words concerning how he was such a terrible liar. Well, messing with these guys seemed to improve his skill if only it was mainly to avoid unnecessary concern from the others. "What is it again?"

"I was asking about this report you gave me – there's something I don't understand here," and pointed to one of the stacks of papers piled on top of his desk.

Concern for Deckerd's well-being was tentatively pushed back as he opened stride towards the red Detective. Official jobs came first in priority even though Duke was just as desperate to help his comrade-plus-leader getting through his emotional imbalance. Hmm...perhaps some other time, the opportunity to do so would present itself. In the meantime, Dumpson got the bulk of his attention.

Something was wrong with him, and Deckerd knew it.

Results from their recent scheduled inspections that their engineer, Mr. Toudou had published invalidated the hypothesis that had been haunting Deckerd. Nevertheless, the Brave leader knew that something about him was...a little bit off, for lack of better descriptive word. Confrontations with increasingly powerful villains took their tolls on the Brave Polices once in a while but the physical damages that resulted were swiftly dealt with. No, it was not his body that was wrong; it was his mind, his soul that needed healing. Truth to be told, the robot himself was unsure whether these...changes were beneficial or otherwise. If he had been daydreaming excessively of some other things, he would have Mr. Toudou ran a check-up on his systems pronto. However, he did not do that because what had occupied his thought processes was actually a certain boy who went by the name Yuuta Tomonaga.

...Well, not exactly a boy now. Ten years ago he might be that; however, turning eighteen this month, Yuuta was more appropriately categorized as a teenager. That small boy had grown so much throughout the years, Deckerd recalled as he continued working on the reports that Mr. Azuma had repeatedly reminded to have them finished by the end of the day. The lack of police actions meant more time for his mind to start wandering again even as his fingers were working on the keyboard. Soon after Yuuta was admitted into a prestigious boarding school in Hokkaido for his high school education, Deckerd discovered how mentally agonizing a separation could be even though the whole thing was for Yuuta's own good – the school was chosen personally by their Commissioner Juuzo Saejima, who insisted that the Boss of the Brave Police should be given the best education to be had. Though reluctant, in the knowledge that they could still see each other sometimes, Deckerd held his tongue when the boy agreed to Mr. Saejima's suggestion – after all, was it not he himself who had thought of being capable to endure even interstellar separation in his effort to help Kapia's people? However, being so used to Yuuta's presence, the months that followed afterwards made him missed the simplicities that he once shared with the boy – whether it was greeting him with a hearty _good morning_, seeing him slumped tiredly in his seat at the Decker Room once a case was closed or to hear him laughed along with the other Brave Polices.

His only balm throughout the deprivation was the promise of reunion whenever there was holiday, especially seasonal ones. Summer was beginning to close in and with it, Deckerd's anticipation for the boy's return and this year had been especially waited for. This incoming summer meant the end of Yuuta's final year studying away from Tokyo and the Brave robots, with Deckerd leading, were excessively excited to have their Boss returned to them. However, the mounting hope was regretfully deflated by a call from Yuuta himself only a few days ago. Nothing short of the boy's demise himself could be more depressing when Yuuta informed that his return would be later than scheduled because of some 'unfinished business' though he had sent the packages of his belongings back via the national courier. Perhaps he was being unreasonably selfish – and to think, Deckerd was supposed to be the exact opposite, him being a police officer and all – but he was just helpless to prevent his desperate need for the boy's proximity from growing. When it came to Yuuta, he was rather...greedy, and even that was not enough to encompass the full scope of his feelings towards the human that was ingrained in him the moment he gained sentience. The unhappy thoughts must have displayed themselves on his face, Deckerd realized, and he resolutely kept his head facing the screen out of fear having his expressions noticed – a leader though he was, Deckerd had no right to worry his team mates about such petty matters. He only looked up when he heard a soft scraping of a much smaller door being opened. Curiousity and trained reaction caused his optics to automatically jump at another set of door near his own desk, a downsized entrance into the Decker Room that was exclusive for the use of their human comrades.

"Commissioner sir?"

It was not only Deckerd who realized that Juuzo Saejima was among them; the Build Team, Gunmax, Shadowmaru and Duke had also whirled their chairs around so as to face the podium at the front of the room, where said entrance was located. In his crisp police suit, Mr. Saejima's face was often contradictory to his clothing – especially when one took his 'interesting' hair style into account. He could be as serious as hell when the situations required it of him but most of the time, he was perhaps the most peculiar policeman who had ever walked the face of the Earth. Now, though, from the severe lines that formed on his face and his hands held behind him, it could be said that this was one of those not-funny moments.

"Deckerd."

"Sir," the robot quickly stood up as his name was summoned, for the moment quickly putting aside his thoughts of Yuuta and the urgency to finish what Mr. Azuma had tasked him to do.

"I have a mission for you," the man said as he produced a tightly-wrapped package from his back, which he had been apparently holding all these while. It was small enough to fit in the man's palm and almost fragile-looking in its thinness. "You are to go to the New International Airport to meet with someone there. You will receive further instructions from him once you give this package to him."

"Commissioner sir, how will I be able to recognize this person?" The airport was almost always bursting with people departing and arriving. It would be nigh impossible to find someone there without being given a little descriptions with which he could use to identify him.

"He will find you himself."

The way Mr. Saejima uttered it was a clear indication that he brook no further discussions. The extending of his package-holding hand just summarized it all up of what he expected from the Brave Detective. It was not anything out of the ordinary for the Brave Polices to act as escort, usually for somebody of importance or just plain dangerous but the body languages of the Commissioner spoke of a matter that was out of normalcy. Still, it was not his place to question the order of his superiors so Deckerd wordlessly accepted the package, careful not to hold it too tightly for fear of its seeming fragility. They exchanged salutations before the Brave Detective left the place, still a little puzzled but willing to carry out the hole-filled command.

The huge doors slid shut; Deckerd's footsteps gradually grew fainter as his distance from the Decker Room increased. Only when there was no sign of him being near whatsoever did Shadowmaru's curiousity got the best of him and voiced out the words that he achingly wanted to spill:

"Commissioner...why didn't you tell Deckerd?"

If Mr. Saejima's conspicuousness had been puzzling, Shadowmaru's question was even more so to his fellow comrades. The Ninja Detective was so familiarized with the lone nature of his task that sometimes, he forgot that the others could not have known of the matters swirling in his mind without telling them first.

"What's this is all about, Shadowmaru?"

The shapechanger Detective answered Duke with a pointing of his forefinger towards the recently-closed door and said, "Apologies for the spying, _dan'na, _but the package Deckerd just received contains a human-sized Brave Police Badge. My scanner detects its frequency just now."

At the spilling of the information, Power Joe and DrillBoy rose excitedly from their respective chairs; the rest kept their composures but doubtlessly, they were just as eager of the news as those two. Their faces lit up with delight for they had not known of any other BP Badge that was issued for the use of a human except for one person only.

"So, unless there is a plan to demote our Chibi Boss and let another takes his place..." Shadowmaru's triumphant smirk completed the rest of his sentence for him. Mr. Saejima was visibly disappointed that this particular news leaked out so quickly – if only because it was his own fault to not wrap the Badge with a more insulating material – but the twitch of his moustache spoke of excitement that equaled those that felt by the robots.

"Hmmm...No point pretending otherwise, then." As the confession fell from the Commissioner's lips, the Decker Room suddenly burst with liveliness as the Brave Robots could not help but began rapid-firing questions, in which even the prideful GunMax joined in.

"Cool! When can we see him?"

"Is he coming today?"

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"Why haven't Deckerd been informed, at the very least?"

More would have come if not for the man raising his hand in request for silence, which fell immediately. That facade of seriousness he adorned when he first walked into the Decker Room was completely thrown off by now; Juuzo Saejima had returned to his youth-like cheerfulness as he stood before them and announced with a twinkling in his eyes, "I think Deckerd deserves a happy surprise once in a while. And today will be for themselves – it's been a while since he saw that boy."

**_xxxxx_**

Being a robot detective in general, Deckerd possessed another alternate form fitting for his role as a Brave Detective in which he used to get around in public. Already transforming himself into a Corvette patrol car, he cruised down the streets to said airport with his mind still choke-full with mysteries of his Commissioner's secretive nature, completely oblivious that the rest of the team had already figured it out thanks to Shadowmaru's spying equipment. As usual, any thinking activity ultimately led him to one particular end, especially when it was done in solitude with little else but the radio to accompany him. Sanada Hiroyuki's voice floated from the speaker, filling the Corvette's interiors with his song _Summer Dream _and the detective cranked up the volume a notch – inwardly smiling as he did so, remembering Yuuta's surprise in discovering Deckerd's versatility in his preference for music. The police robot could enjoy upbeat tunes like those that GunMax usually listened to as well as he did harmonious, swaying music of an orchestra. There was never a second of silence when Yuuta was around, Deckerd remembered, because the Tomonaga boy always had something to say. Sometimes, he asked questions like one of his age should but mostly their talking considered of pointless chats – again of which Deckerd usually took for granted until the luxury to do so was taken from him. The saxophone-dominated song ended just as Deckerd turned into the last junction for the airport, heading straight for the exit nearest to the arrival gate and parked himself there. Even with Mr. Saejima's assurance, the possibility that he might not find the aforementioned person worried him – the package must be of paramount importance if Deckerd himself was required to hand it over.

Seconds slowly crawled to minutes. The arrival gate saw scores of people passing through it but none of them gave the slightest indication of recognition when their eyes landed on Deckerd's Corvette form. The airport taxies and personal vehicles came and went as soon as their passengers boarded but the patrol car was still left to his own, causing his systems to be flooded with yet more anxiety at the prospect of failure for he had no idea what consequence might sprout from it if he did. The patience packaged together with his police-like nature warred with his desire to call the Commissioner, the former eventually winning after debating that Mr. Saejima must have a good reason for the secrecy. It struck Deckerd in all of sudden that he was not given time frame of which he must remain in waiting – for all he knew, he could be parked here until tomorrow and no one would come to him. The fact that Mr. Saejima was peculiar resurfaced from his memories and suddenly, trusting his Commissioner did not seem like a great assurance at all.

"Deckerd!"

It was not as much shock from hearing his name than it was for the recognition of the voice that caused his headlights to pop up from their slots. If he had lesser restraints, Deckerd would have converted to his robotic body, just to make sure...though he did not really have to. That would have attracted unwanted attentions from the public but more to the point, his familiarity to the voice left no room for doubt as to its owner's identity. It was a voice that was already firmly part of his being, one that his super A.I – that was, when he still needed the computer chip for his personality – refused to give up even to the point of defying all attempts at erasing his memory banks.

"Yuuta...?" It was rhetorical but the question came before he even could think of processing it. He felt instantly foolish for having said it but the name had jumped from his speaker so effortlessly, without needing to form it in his mind first.

The chuckles that followed agreed with his guess. The youngest of the Tomonaga family approached from the Corvette's hindquarter, hindering Deckerd a full view of the human he sorely missed. He still caught his image in the periphery of his vision, though; almost as tall as Mr. Saejima himself by now, Yuuta was nevertheless still a lanky person as his kid's body had hinted though in no manner he was willowy or frail-looking. His statures did not convey the picture of strength but rather nimbleness, spoken even through his easy strides as he closed the distance between him and his robot friend.

"What are you doing here?"

Yuuta's sudden halt put him exactly in Deckerd's car-form's blind spot. Unable to see the teenager no matter how much he rotated the lenses that served as his 'eyes', frustration soon flooded the robot's systems. The Tomonaga's presence was already confirmed by his thermal cameras and other wide arrays of sensors but real satisfaction came only when Deckerd perceived him through his visual lenses. Had he thought of it, simply switching his view to other cameras installed on his chassis would probably eradicate the blind spot but between the stony stillness and his surprise of the boy's appearance, the notion did not occur to him. The frustration was exchanged for uneasiness as Yuuta's refusal to reply stretched the seconds into seeming infinity until…

"Sounds like you don't want to see me here."

"No!" In less than a second, that uneasiness evolved into fear – Hell freezes over first before there would come a day when he was displeased to be in Yuuta's presence – and hastily mended himself, "I mean, I didn't expect to find you here. You said you aren't going to get back this soon..."

All of Deckerd's systems seemed to be put into stasis as he waited for the teenage boy's reaction. The falls of sneakered feet were the first things that the Corvette perceived before Yuuta finally moved into his visual field, revealing a face adorned with poorly disguised amusement.

"Just kidding!" The laughter burst out from Yuuta's mouth, bringing with it relief into Deckerd's systems. Yuuta's familiarity with the police officer made him quite an expert in finding the right moment to pull his tricks on the robot – and sometimes, despite his acknowledgement of his mischievous side, the Brave Detective still fell for it. His headlights went down halfway in his limited gesture of shared amusement, unmindful of the fact that he was the victim just now.

"Really, Deckerd? Do you really think that I'm going to think so?" It would have been quite a peculiar sight for the passers-by, Deckerd mused, for Yuuta had come to stand directly in front of him. The public might have been informed of the Brave Polices' ability to transform but that Yuuta was actually talking to one in his vehicular mode was not exactly what would have come first to mind when presented with the scenery.

"How could I've known?" Deckerd shot back – and it was the truth, despite the disguising good-naturedness of his tone. It was impossible for him to tire of Yuuta's company but...he had no idea if this notion was similarly shared by the human especially after he had been informed of a teenager's tendency to be easily bored by things they were used to. Curiousity and fear was hand-in-hand when it came to hearing the answer if he could ever have the courage to ask it in the first place. "But really, what are you doing here?"

"What does it looks like? I'm coming home, of course!" Adjusting the straps of his bag-pack which he had been carrying behind him, Yuuta went for the driver-side's door, a hand already extended out to reach for the handle when a subtle rocking of the Corvette's chassis stopped him. Yuuta's smiling face turned serious by the worry, hinted by the frown forming on his forehead. "What's wrong, Deckerd?"

"Um...I can't give you a ride home, Yuuta," and saying it hurt the Brave Detective for it was against his wish; nothing pleased him as immensely as the knowledge that he was of use to the Tomonaga boy. "I'm on a police mission right now. I'm supposed to wait for..."

Deckerd's verbal sentence was stopped as the rest of it was continued in his mind:_... someone to come for me._ And Yuuta did just that which meant –

"...you...?"

"Let me guess; it's Mr. Saejima. He didn't say _who _you're supposed to meet," Even Yuuta facepalmed at the Commissioner's unexpected childishness. "And _he_ told to expect you waiting for _me_."

Chuckles bubbled up from within Deckerd's core and out to his speakers; he should have known that his Commissioner was up to something like this, having had experiences working under him for years already. Shocked, yes, but it was a delightful one, like finding your wrapped Christmas present to hold just what you wished for. In a sense, it might as well be...only, instead of winter, his gift was uncovered in the warmth of the sun. Continuing to vocalize his mirth, Deckerd opened the door and invited the boy into himself, "Well then, come in."

Deckerd did not miss the smile forming on Yuuta's lips – not the smirk of triumph he had when successfully pulling pranks on Deckerd but a genuinely happy one that had remained unchanged since his childhood – as he stepped into the patrol car's interiors. The Brave Detective's rugged frame could withstand small explosions if he had to but as Yuuta seated himself on the driver's place, Deckerd noticed that his entry, despite its seeming spiritedness, was actually very careful and considerate, rocking his chassis barely more than if he was still a fourth-grader. Yuuta unhooked the bag-pack's straps from his shoulders and tossed it to the back, allowing him to rest fully against the backrest of his own seat. The human's weight was a load that Deckerd readily welcomed for it was a solid proof of Yuuta's presence in himself. Comforted by the knowledge, his Corvette's engine purred involuntarily out of happiness.

Yuuta'a mouth was half-opened in what was unmistakably the start of their conversations – even as a teenager, he hardly lost his talkativeness – but the opening of Deckerd's glove compartment stopped the words in his throat, revealing the package that the Commissioner had entrusted into his care. Now that Yuuta was with him, Deckerd meant to surrender it to its rightful owner but the boy merely stared at it in bewilderment.

"What's that, Deckerd?"

"I imagine it's you who are going to tell me that. The Commissioner ordered me to give it to the person I'm supposed to meet here...which is _you_."

Deckerd's answer prompted the other to take it from the compartment, which closed on its own once the hand was out of its way. Seemingly trying to guess its content, Yuuta gazed at it for a minute but the shape was not indicative of anything particular. Assuming that it was meant for him anyway, Yuuta unwrapped it while Deckerd patiently waited for the revelation, being as curious as his human friend to the object's identity. A dull, palm-sized box was revealed underneath the wrappings and Yuuta hastily pried it open –

"The BP Badge!" Deckerd's and Yuuta's shouts were in unison with each other as said object slid out of its housing and into the teenager's waiting hand. With practised ease, Yuuta flipped it open and smiled as the Brave Police insignia inside it gleamed under the sunlight; the excitement and happiness that came from it were like a deja vu of his first time receiving it from Mr. Saejima, fingers closing around the familiar shape and feeling its weight in his palm. When he was sent away for his high-school study, the Commissioner withheld all the responsibilities that burdened Yuuta as the Boss of the Brave Police – his wisdom foretelling that such things would only hinder his learning – and thus were all his law-enforcing equipment stripped from him, albeit only until his return. Now that the moment was finally upon him, Yuuta would again regain all of his possessions – and first and foremost was the BP badge.

"We have one whacky Commissioner, don't you think?"

Yuuta's rhetorical question was nevertheless answered with agreement as the headlights dipped down slightly to indicate a nodding motion. Having such an extraordinary superior had its ups and downs but more often than not, Deckerd found himself being grateful for Mr. Saejima's unexpected way of thinking – his liveliness and energy provided colours into their lives even when things seemed rotten. Yuuta's joy infected his already heightened moods; the slightly giddy tone betrayed it when he playfully said, "Your orders, Boss?"

Stowing the Badge into his jeans' side-pocket, taking care of its placing so he would not accidentally sit on it, Yuuta gave a wink that inexplicably reminded Deckerd of a rather strange adventure they had together – it was when Yuuta still a fourth-grade then and stuck with a rather embarrassing situation where his infiltration into the St. Angela All-Girls School required him to cross-dress in the said school's girl-uniform. He had given similar gesture of eye-winking then – doubtless to accentuate to Deckerd how 'in-character' he was for the mission – but Deckerd was instead anxious as to these 'new' behaviours. That was in the past but today, the winking brought new reactions to the officer's systems and strange heat crawled all over his Corvette body from inside out.

Of course, the heat was more imaginary than real and Yuuta was oblivious to the affects his action caused on his robotic friend. He proceeded to answer Deckerd's question with total innocence as to his doing, "What about we go and see the guys first?"

Now that sentence had no fuel to spread the heat within him so it dwindled instead to lay dormant in Deckerd's core. In some ways the officer was rather glad that Yuuta resorted to a question he could answer easily and his fired-up engine was a reply enough to that. Deckerd waited until the seatbelt was fasten (he always insisted Yuuta riding in him so) before his wheels rolled on, carrying the young man back to the Police Headquarter.

_**xxxxx**_

For the rest of the robot detectives, none had left the Decker Room though it was well past their working hours for the anticipation of their Boss's arrival was as powerful an anchor as any unsolved case. As always, it was Shadowmaru's keen sensors who detected Deckerd's approaching communication frequency. From there, it was not difficult to jump to conclusions that Yuuta was with him too even before the duo showed up in the room themselves. And when they did... well, suffice to say, Decker Room resembled less of a detective office and more of a club in aspect of its noise level that evening.

Instead of using the small door from which Mr. Saejima had previously emerged, Yuuta, comfortably perched on his favourite place at Deckerd's shoulder, had entered the room through the gigantic entrance usually reserved for the robots. As soon as he made his appearance, he was met with six voices greeting him with an exclamation of "Boss!"; naturally, the seventh voice who called out "Chibi Boss!" came from Shadowmaru for he was the only one who addressed the Tomonaga boy so.

"Guys!" Yuuta shouted back, as joyous as the rest were at the reunion, hands waving frantically above his head.

Knowing that hours-long conversation was in place now that the Brave Polices were reunited again with their Boss, Deckerd went to the front of the room where the podium was located – and also where Yuuta's traditional place was as their Boss. Deckerd's hand, which was capable of forming fist powerful enough to punch through metals and concrete walls, seemed to belong to another individual entirely as he offered Yuuta assistance to get off his shoulder-perch, black fingers curling gently around the teenager once Yuuta hopped into his palm and lowered him down to the podium. The Build Team, Duke, GunMax and Shadowmaru rose from their seats and crowded around the new arrivals with enthusiasm one would expect from best friends – which they all were – barely giving Yuuta the chance to catch his footing after he was deposited near his workdesk.

The energetic DrillBoy leapt forward, barely catching himself on the podium's edge to avoid his fall and smiled sheepishly at Yuuta. "We missed you, Boss!"

The young man returned the offered smile as he rushed forward to embrace the Soccer-player Detective – though with his size, Yuuta only managed to cover one side of DrillBoy's cheek. When he was done with it, Yuuta found that he was overshadowed by his bigger friends who were bending down over him, eager to give him their personal greetings.

"Welcome back, Boss," Duke said through his smile. Without hesitation, Yuuta rushed forward and gave the robot's huge white fingers as best a hug as he could manage.

GunMax's turn came next; the green highway patroller's forefinger descended lightly on Yuuta's scalp. His face was one of huge amusement when he said, "A year...and you're still a midget. Haven't you done any growing at all?"

"Exactly why he remains a Chibi Boss..." Shadowmaru said. He was in his beastly form for convenience; his slimmer build and lesser height allowed him to slip in between the robots' legs and provided more jostling room for his comrades. As if to accentuate his point, he gave Yuuta's side a seemingly gentle push but it was actually strong enough to knock the boy to his knees. "Not only he didn't get taller, he's as light as before!"

Faking anger at their words, Yuuta spun away from the robots' touches and waved a fist at them, "Hey, I've grown, Okay! You guys just don't notice it!"

Unintentionally shoving DrillBoy to the side in his enthusiasm, Power Joe emerged from the masses of metals before him, putting himself in clear view of Yuuta. "Two centimetres are hardly worth noticing, Boss," He smirked, causing the teenager to sigh defeatedly. He would never get the upper hand if the three bots cooperated to bully him.

"Deckerd's right there, guys." The newest interruption came from Dumpson. His thumb was pointed over his shoulder, in the direction of the aforementioned Brave robot who had chosen to remain behind in giving his partners chances to socialize with Yuuta. "Overdo it and you'll have him to answer to."

It was an exaggeration that coaxed another round of wall-shaking laughter from the Brave Polices – and yet, Dumpson's statement held truth in its core. No one here would willingly harm the very human who gave them all souls but if ever Yuuta was under threat, Deckerd would not hesitate to use brute force. Indeed, for all his gentle nature, the Brave Detective's protectiveness over the boy bordered on being legendarily renowned; it was dumb ignorance if one had yet to know the measures that the blue robot would take to protect Yuuta, demonstrating it time and time again at the slightest cue of Yuuta's discomfort.

The first to recover from their laughing mode was McCrane; still hitching from residual mirth, the eldest of the Build Team finally made himself known after the rest of them had done so. His hand reached out to ruffle Yuuta's shining black hair in a gesture of affection which he usually reserved for DrillBoy – especially when they were out of visual range of GunMax, who just loved any moment with opportunity to tease the Soccer-player Detective's comparative childishness. Yuuta could not help but laugh; McCrane's actions had caused his messy hair to get even more so, the strands now sticking in every possible direction.

"We're glad that you can spend some time with us," the hydraulic crane-robot said gently, the truth flowing out from his mouth without the restraints of pride or awkwardness. Among the Brave Polices, McCrane seemed to possess the gift of using fluent, persuasive speech, a skill he very much valued for he was a pacifist in his deepest core who preferred negotiation with words rather than guns. McCrane's claim was greeted with universal agreement by his fellow comrades whether verbally or by actions – and from his standpoint, Deckerd could not help but feel a certain pride at the closeness between them.

Though it was only a year's separation, Yuuta and his robotic friends found that there were so much things to talk about that they were soon exchanging stories of their experiences in the absence of each other. The annual reunion inevitably created cacophony of noises which carried well out of the Decker Room, penetrating several layers of wall of the Headquarter building. Though the human officers had been well-versed with the noise level of this event, one particular man was still entranced by the sounds of their joy; the paperworks he was reviewing bore nothing that could amuse him but Mr. Saejima nevertheless was coaxed into smiling as their joyous voices drifted into his office.

Being the manager of the Brave Police project in the first place, the robots as well as the boy themselves had become his 'children' by heart, if not biologically so. He harboured no regrets in inducting Yuuta Tomonaga into the Robot Detective Section as the Boss of the robots despite the torrents of objections that he faced. Though practical logic warned against it, his instinct, as whacky as it was, was telling him that Yuuta was an invaluable asset to him and the Brave Polices – and the evidences could not be any clearer than the robots themselves. He remembered being shown by Toudou of a half-built Deckerd deep in the underground of his secret birth place, a lifeless, unfeeling 'it' rather than 'he'...before Yuuta's chance meeting with the Brave Detective transformed him into a sentient being, paving the way for creations of more emotionally-capable machines – namely, the rest of the Brave robots. Such bonds were created between the boy and the Brave robots that to separate them seemed almost blasphemous. However, he still belonged to the community – and as he grew, Mr. Saejima realized how the need for Yuuta's proximity around the Brave Policemen conflicted with the demands of his education – and so, he was forced to partially sacrifice the former. Three years of high school might seem like a trivial thing to outsiders but the Commissioner worried the impacts it might have on the Brave Polices, and even more so when it came to Deckerd, the first to have received sentience and the closest among the others to the boy.

Now, though, the time of separation was drawing to its end with this year being Yuuta's final one in high school; university-level education was still waiting, of course, but no longer would he be of any unreachable distance from his robotic friends. The routine would once again resemble those that he went through in his childhood – his life would be split between his time as a student and his responsibility as Inspector Tomonaga, the Boss of the Brave Police. Discreetly playing a role in the whole arrangement, Mr. Saejima had it so that Yuuta would continue his study in the proximal area of Tokyo where he could commute between his university, the police headquarter and his home easily enough. Of course, this piece of news were yet unknown to any other people except Mr. Toudou – he could inform them right when Yuuta had arrived, but that peculiarity in his nature insisted that he waited for the time when he could coax their biggest delighted surprise.

His office stayed peacefully quiet for some time, broken only by the occasional laughter from the Brave robots which managed to breach the cement walls. Mr. Saejima continued his half-rest half-works for perhaps half an hour when the place suddenly rang with the music of Saejima-san's cellphone. The suddenness of it shocked the man so much that he nearly fell off his chair, catching himself some balance just in time before he could commence with the painful landing on the floor. The tickling vibration in his pocket made him giggle a little as he fumbled for the gadget, finding the task a little difficult than it should be in his franticness and the aftermath of surprise. The glowing screen displayed a contact number that he instantly recognized though he had not expected this particular person to call his phone instead of his office number.

"Saejima speaking," he said quite formally, just in case if the intention of the contact was indeed purely official in matter. As it turned out, though, his precaution was unneeded for the voice at the other side of the line merely chuckle at the hints of business-like tone in the Commissioner's voice.

"No need for pleasantries here, Mr. Saejima," the soft voice said cheerfully, "I just want to inform you that I'll be making a visit to the Robot Detective Section in a few days."

The words made the Commissioner paused; the collaborative works with Britain and Japanese Brave Police were under strict monitor on their performance, ensuring parallel excellence between the East and the West; a visit from one so important in the globalized Brave Police project denoted significancethat made even the Commissioner serious. The confused lapse was easily perceived by the caller who quickly explained, even before the Commissioner himself could ask of it, "I'm quite pleased to inform you that the project Mr. Toudou and I have been working on is nearing completion."

Mr. Saejima could feel his own breath quickening in anticipation; this project that he had earlier proposed was proving very difficult indeed to accomplish, especially with the Brave Polices' evolution from robots with hearts to become living beings in their own rights. It had taken years and innumerable hours of brainstorming between the greatest minds from both Japanese and European Brave Police engineer teams to cope with the challenges…now it seemed that all the hard works were finally paying off. "That's good to hear. Are you sure that 'they' are fully dependable…?"

The question was carefully crafted for a slight mistake in the project could prove very well to be disastrous; delving oneself into this kind of field was like treading the very edge between failure and success where a simple neglect to details could be the downfall of them all. After all, life and consciousness were subjects that are so delicate and complex that none of them could claim complete understanding on these matters. Perceiving the hesitance in the man's words, the caller too lapsed into silence – it was only for a few seconds but it was evidence enough of her worry when it came from one so confident such as herself.

"Unfortunately, there is no way to be sure of that unless we run a field test on this," she said, each word desperately shielded from the edge of anxiety, "The shells will be shipped on your way via a military aircraft with maximum security. I will be there to monitor the test myself."

"But you are sure that they will have no adverse effect on my 'boys'?" His affectionate terms towards the Brave robots in general leaked how much care he invested in them, something that the caller had no problem perceiving when she herself had King, Bishop, Rook, Pawn, Ace, Ten and Jack regarded with the same care and attention. The Scotland Yarders had grown in her heart as much as Duke had over the past few years.

"I have done everything that I can, Mr. Saejima. The Scotland Yarders have volunteered to be the first test subjects and they have all completed the procedures successfully. However, they are not 'just' robots…they differ from each other as humans do. We can't be certain unless they are individually tested."

It was as much assurance as anyone can get even if the questioning continued for hours longer since all that they could study from theories had been extracted, leaving only the real practices to confirm what the numbers and equations told…which was admittedly not very much with their shallow knowledge. Still, Mr. Saejima knew that with her and Mr. Toudou heading the teams, the projects had the best chance of succeeding compared to it being led by other people. His instinct called to faith and trust in these two, and so he would even though he would not breathe any easier until it proved to be a complete success.

"Alright, Regina. I'll have Toudou make the necessary preparations for the tests. When are you expected to arrive?"

From the phone, a soft whistling sound could be heard as Regina Argine's breath was sucked in through her teeth, a habit she acquired during times of contemplation and thinking. Mr. Saejima waited patiently for her reply which came a few seconds later, "Perhaps in two days, at the fastest. I'll have to package them first…not to mention the many safety measures needed to be done."

"Good, that'll give enough time on my side too…" The man considered for the briefest of moments before deciding that this next piece of information deserved telling to the British girl, friends as they were, "And oh, Yuuta has just arrived at Tokyo today. I'm giving him a day's leave tomorrow before he got back in the job. Perhaps he can watch the tests too?"

The old Regina would have replied with as much coldness as her heart contained – but this one, the new Argine girl was much, much warmer in her manners and more open with her feelings. Thus, her reply came out enthusiastic instead of formally indifferent and Mr. Saejima could hear the smile in her voice, "It's so much better if he does! After all, he _is _their Boss; he should be present at such important event."

There was little to argue about that; even if Yuuta still had his school to deal with when only few select information would be passed to him, event of this significance earned enough merits to be informed no matter what circumstances Yuuta was in. That he would again assume the role of the BP Boss just emphasized his need to be there when the project was tested. The Commissioner told this to her, agreeing that it was only appropriate to have the young man's presence when the testing commenced and again assured her that Japan Police Force would be ready for her plan when she and her cargo arrived.

"I'll see you in two days, then. Give a call if anything comes up," Regina said, and after Mr. Saejima completed the pleasantries, the phone on her side clicked off. The Commissioner did likewise with his and stowed it back into his suit's pocket. There it stayed for the rest of the evening, not once bothering the man again with its ringing or vibration and left Mr. Saejima into quietness. It took a while for him to realize that the soft laughter from the Decker Room had ceased; outside, the red sunset marked the closing of today's curtains and night would soon make its appearance.

That same sunset the Commissioner espied from the window of his office was also looked upon by Yuuta though he was watching it from his passenger-seat inside the Corvette that was Deckerd. Cruising at speed as high as law tolerated - Deckerd remembered from their younger days how Yuuta had always loved the thrill the high velocity brought him – he was finally bringing Yuuta home after the boisterous reunion with the rest of the team had concluded itself. The young man's blue-grey eyes – a rather unnatural colour for one of Asian origin – flitted rapidly across the landscapes that whizzed past the window though his mouth passed on no words, deriving enjoyment from the pleasant ride in the officer-turned-car. Deckerd allowed him the silence, sufficiently content that his coming home today would not be on his own.

"The guys look so happy back there," Yuuta suddenly said after a few minutes of complete silence, leaning a little forward as if conversing with a person that sat in front of him. He realized that he was in fact inside the very individual he was talking to and that wherever he was facing , Deckerd would hear him perfectly; the gesture was merely out of habit from his childhood.

"They have every reason to be," the cruiser replied gladly that he was engaging in conversation with his human friend, "They've been missing their Boss for quite some time."

"It's not like I haven't come home for three years – and I _always _return for the holidays, remember?"

_But not the same as having you around every day_, Deckerd thought; losing Yuuta, even temporarily, felt much like tearing out a chunk of his very being. He felt incomplete…and knew for a fact that the truth was not quite so far from that. However, revealing the immensity of his sorrow would only spoil the joy of meeting each other again so he said instead, "True enough. And I'm happy that you've taken the pain to return as frequently as you do."

Deckerd felt a light touch descended on his steering wheel – so light that it did not at all affect his driving performance – but it was enough to make his heart fluttered. Yuuta's fingers were patting a column of it in what the Corvette assumed to be appreciation for his kind words. Little did the boy know how precious the simple gesture was to the Brave Detective who himself had longed for the feel of Yuuta's warm skin against his being…another simple luxury that he only truly cherished once it was taken from him. He kept sufficient focus on the road in front of him to ensure their safe journey but a part of his consciousness drifted away from reality and immersed itself in the pleasure that Yuuta had unintentionally conveyed through his hand. All too soon, the contact was broken and Yuuta leaned back into the seat, completely oblivious to the inevitable frustration he had caused brewing in the Corvette's systems. Deckerd sighed internally at the briefness of the moment but was otherwise secretive of his opinion and reactions.

They chatted again for a while, the topics concerning all the unimportant stuffs that worth mentioning only for the sake of continuing the conversation. The weathers featured prominently, as well as Mr. Saejima's unchanging hair style throughout the years. Deckerd was happy to entertain him through the journey, even feeling Yuuta's apparent happiness from their pointless exchange. The city dwindled behind them as cruiser-Deckerd entered the more peaceful housing area in Nanamagari city. The traffic thinned considerably until he found himself the only vehicle around with only occasional cars passing from the opposite direction. Voices of humans going about their business grew clearer while the honking and rumbling of vehicles became less and less noticeable. Yuuta's neighbourhood barely changed whether in aspect of the atmosphere or its residence. They even came across Mrs. Itohata, older now but no less cheerful because of it, sauntering down the street, no doubt on her way home after he habitual evening walk. The chubby woman saw Deckerd and waved towards him as was her usual, but when he saw that the Corvette had a passenger today, he shouted, "Evening, Yuu-chan!"

Deckerd instinctively lowered down the window on Yuuta's side to allow his passenger to shout back a hearty reply of, "Evening, Mrs. Itohata!" complete with hand-waving of his own. Even Deckerd could not contain his amused chuckles at their enthusiasm – neither had lost the exuberance that was characteristic of their personalities. However, the Brave Detective did not stop for he had sensed Yuuta's desire to return home as soon as possible – and from Deckerd's experience, the one thing guaranteed with his neighbours was that chatting with Mrs. Itohata would drag on for hours if not stopped, and maybe even then. The window whirred to a close and Yuuta slumped back into his seat with a relieved sigh; an encounter with lively neighbours would not be as enjoyable when you're tired and missing your family, even if that family consisted of only sisters for the moment.

Well, two older sisters and a brother-in-law, to be exact, as revealed to Yuuta when he finally reached the home he had left for months. As soon as Deckerd rolled into the parking space at the side of the house, the door seemed to have been burst open from the inside from the force of Kurumi's pushing. The sound of Deckerd's engine had alerted them of their arrival and the younger of Yuuta's sisters practically jumped out of the house to greet them. Yuuta was barely out of the Corvette when Kurumi hugged him tightly, her slender arms belying the strength of which her limbs were capable of. They have to be because punching and kicking opponents in tae-Kwan-do required strength if one hoped for victory, even if the opponent was only in competition and not real life. While Yuuta had learned a little of self-defense from his school's martial-arts-related club, he was still not a match for the more experienced sister.

"My lil' brother finally remembers his way home, I see," Kurumi chided playfully, referring to the fact that they had only returned when night had descended despite being informed that Yuuta had arrived at Tokyo at noon.

Yuuta, out of breath that Kurumi's embrace was forcing out air from his lungs, was about to plead for his release when he caught sight of the eldest of the Tomonaga children, Azuki, standing at the doorway with her usual smile on her face.

"Now, now, Kurumi; Why don't we give Yuuta a little break? I'm sure he's tired already."

Kurumi's mouth pouted, innocent enough if not for her arms which were now strangling the Tomonaga boy into near-suffocation. In his disorientation, though, he still caught Kurumi's argument about how she had little time to 'socialize' with her younger brother nowadays and that a budding young man like him should have been able to take more than just 'a little tight hug'. However, when it came to someone like Kurumi…suffice to say, when she finally relented with Azuki's unfaltering smile and her persuasive words, Yuuta felt like he was resurrected from death. And it did not help that his usual protector could do nothing to aid him in this circumstance, where his beloved family was involved – in fact, Deckerd's speakers emitted out low chuckles of amusement at the unlikely scene, where the renowned Boss of the Brave Police could find no victory over this girl.

Yuuta gained back his stability and oxygen after a few deep breaths, supporting himself by clinging desperately to Deckerd lest he would definitely fall down. The Corvette gave it to him, wheels remaining locked on the same place even though his amusement still refused to abate, seeing these siblings interacting with one another. Satisfied that Yuuta was not in any danger of drowning now, Azuki's smile widened and said, "When you're done, I'll have dinner ready for both of you. It's been quite a while since we sit down together before a meal." So saying, she turned on her heels and disappeared into the house, intending to make good her promise of providing her siblings plenty of food to satisfy their appetites.

Kurumi Tomonaga eyed her brother with something akin to dissatisfaction at being denied her desire for more interaction with him but decided at the very last second to abandon her pursue. Yuuta gave her a you-can-beat-me-later-but-let-me-rest-for-now wave of his hand before letting his body leaned more heavily against Deckerd's side to accentuate his point. She gave one final huff before she too, followed Azuki's steps and went past the house's door. Yuuta's eyes followed her progress, just in case she decided to jump him again but a silhouette of man called out to her from inside the house, shadowy in the fading light of the world outside and poor lighting of the house itself – Azuki had yet to switched them all for the night – but the identity of this person was clarified by the indistinct murmurs of his voice – Masaya Kashiwazaki, formerly a neighbor of the Tomonaga siblings who had his status elevated to become part of the family because he was now an alleged husband to Azuki herself. Even after marriage, Azuki had been reluctant to leave her siblings to be on their own.

Yuuta's expression morphed into one of surprise to see Azuki's husband at home for he was constantly busy with his job as a doctor at a local hospital. His normal daily scheduled entailed his leaving for work early in the morning and returning only when it had grown dark, usually around seven if the hospital saw no casualties that needed extra helping hands which was the reason for Yuuta's puzzlement – it had barely passed dusk now. Deckerd saw the confusion evident on the human's face and supplied helpfully, "Kashiwazaki-san had taken an early leave to see you at home, Yuuta. He is as eager to celebrate your return as the rest of us."

Kashiwazaki (or Masaya-kun, as Azuki had come to call her husband affectionately) rarely had the opportunity to personally attend Yuuta's return all through the years the boy was sent out of Tokyo for his high school study. More than once, Kashiwazaki had expressed his wish to be present when Yuuta came home for the holiday. Between his works and Yuuta's extended absence, family dinner where all of them participated was a rare occasion and one that all of them, especially Kashiwazaki, being a newcomer to the family, had come to miss; apparently, the Tomonaga's brother-in-law had been lucky this time around that no assistance-requiring cases had surfaced, thus enabling him to leave early and fulfill the wish he had yet been able to realize before.

Deckerd's Corvette form rattled from the revs of its engine and broke the encompassing reverie from fully engulfing Yuuta's mind. It was a little regret on the Corvette's part but he would not let his simple longing for their prolonged togetherness to precede Yuuta's well-being. He could 'see' the signs of the day's tolls on the boy, trivial though they were. Long had he been acquainted with such insignificant changes in his behaviors and physiques to have noted the state of his body and emotions – and right now, the slight bending of his knees as Yuuta rested his side against Deckerd told of his exhaustion that threatened to bring the human down into slumber. As if needing any more reason for their separation, an inconspicuous rumble from Yuuta's stomach announced the emptiness within and its need for filling before any resting could commence.

"Oh, sorry," Yuuta blushed at the unbecoming reaction his body gave. The sheepish smile was endearing but the fact that the noises indicated his need for nourishment was unsettling. Though far, far away from being starved just yet, Deckerd did not like the notion of Yuuta being hungry – or being in any discomfort whatsoever.

"Have some dinner, Yuuta. You need it," he said while gently nudging the human with a scant opening of his front door. It was not enough to unbalance him nor did Deckerd intended so; he was only urging Yuuta to fulfill his bodily requirements. Sometimes, Deckerd admitted that he worried needlessly but the feeling was well-placed this time. Though there was no gun-shooting or criminal-thwarting, it was nevertheless a fulfilling day for him and Yuuta had yet to eat anything except for a tuna sandwich he had quickly grabbed along the way to the Police Headquarter. That was much too little food to fuel his energetic teenage body especially when he had a group of lively Brave Polices to interact with for the past hours.

Yuuta's free hand, the one not used to support himself, was pushing Deckerd's door to a gentle close. The Corvette was ready to start persuading with reasons already lined up in his mind, waiting only to be emitted out from the speakers but a warm cheek pressed to the top of his roof stopped the incoming tirade of words. There was assurance in the light touch, the kind of yes-I'll-do-it-really that contained no fallacy as to the legitimacy of the promise. Then, the pressure vanished when Yuuta lifted his head up and pushed himself away from the patrol car, returning to a fully independent stand though he still kept his hand on the upper sill of Deckerd's windows. It was his silent gesture of appreciation – the way his fingers stroked the strip of metal – and one that had never been agreed upon but rather what Deckerd learned from experience. From inside the house, Kurumi's voice could be heard all the way from the kitchen, shouting, "Yuuta! Come and get your dinner already! We're starving here!"

"That's the bell for me," Yuuta muttered, still mirthful despite the annoyance. He gave Deckerd one last stroke along the upper windowsill, speaking both his gratefulness for Deckerd's time and a farewell for today. Though it was usual for them to spend anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours (or more, on some occasions) before bedtime just conversing with each other, tonight would be of exception. A look at baggy-eyed Yuuta was enough to indicate the immediate sleep after his dinner and shower, with the shower being an option instead of obligatory.

"Go on," Deckerd urged and drawing the curtain down for tonight, so to speak. Yuuta obliged with reluctance that touched the Corvette's heart and a smile that made him wished for virtual-game-like ability to replenish energy in an instant…if only to see the sweet expression a while longer. Then, a simple "Good night, Deckerd," uttered in a tiredly croaky voice banished what tiny chance there was for budding regrets from blooming.

An inch or two lowering of the headlights signified Deckerd's non-verbal acknowledgement and, to a lesser extent, his gladness for the lack of defiance from the young man. There were times when Yuuta was unfeasibly persuadable into anything, usually involving suggestion of resting and the Tomonaga's denial of its necessity – those times were difficult for the police robot since his concern for Yuuta and his obedience to him were equally demanding. The lack thereof simplified matters massively, not to mention saving time and energy from pointless arguments.

Then, out of impulse which he was not sure from whence, Deckerd added, "And Yuuta?" Said human stopped in his track as desired to give the Brave Detective his attention. Though his robotic head was hidden away underneath layers of folding metals and various machineries in his vehicular form, Deckerd allowed himself a smile when he whispered, "Sweet dreams."

Throughout the many years of their friendship, their usual nightly wish was either 'good night' or 'see you tomorrow'. 'Sweet dreams' was rarely on the list for no apparent reason other than the previous two had become accustomed to their lips. The change surprised the young man for a few eye-blinking-long moments but the pleasantries contained within those simple words delighted instead of baffled him.

"And you too, Deckerd," He replied in kind, his friend's name only barely uttered before a huge yawn overtook the power of speech from him. Yuuta gave up the fight and shuffled inside the house, family warmth and the delicious smell of soup wafting from the kitchen welcomed him with comfort that only home could give.

The door closed gently behind Yuuta, cutting much of the house's lighting from spilling outside except through the narrow line of rectangular gap separating the entrance and the wall that framed it. Partial darkness enveloped Deckerd's Corvette form but the police officer was not unsettled by it. The night brought with it calmness not found in daylight, where the crickets sang and the stars winked merrily as if having a secret celebration that no Earth-dwellers knew of. It was the consolation for the solitary he endured every night, with a few exceptions when Yuuta would choose Deckerd's seat over the squishy bed in his room to spend the night on. However, his overnights in Deckerd grew increasingly uncommon as his fear of ghosts and ghouls receded to mere childish imagination and the creaking of doors no longer induced imaginations of waiting boogeyman behind it…and when teenagehood hit and high school started calling to his fate, the Corvette ceased having the human as his sleeping companion.

Yuuta's laughter drifted from the kitchen space, faint but noticeable to Deckerd's audio receptors. Kashiwazaki said something in the background whose words did not survive the thickness of the walls but apparently, it was hilarious to the point of inducing another round of laughter, this time with all four diners joining in. Their mirth brought longing to his heart, to join the family at the table – not for the food but for the simplicity of being able to. Yes, he had good relationships with Yuuta and his family, Kashiwazaki included, and yes, he had enjoyed their unbiased company for as long as he had lived…but there would always be that devilishly subtle humbleness for being different than them.

_Be grateful, Deckerd. You could not have asked for a life better than this, _Deckerd scolded himself, forcing the unhappy thoughts to the furthest back of his mind. Yuuta had taught him one of the important lessons in life and it was his teaching that he was forgetting. If their physical differences had mattered to Yuuta, Deckerd would not have gained his sentience to begin with and he would never know the fullness of life in all its glory. That he was a robot never seem to bother the boy; he related to Deckerd as he would other humans…and perhaps more so for sometimes he perceived a twinkling in the human's eyes that seemed to be more than just reflection of sunlight or the way his voice softened during their conversations with only the Corvette-former as the listener. Of course, that was not saying that his perceptions were all true. There were always possibilities of exaggeration when unfulfilled wish lurked in one's mind but there was also no sin in hoping.

For the time being, he was content that there were enough sweet memories – imagined or otherwise – to entertain him. One day, and he hoped that it would be long in the coming, if at all, reality would come crashing down on his meticulously built illusion...but until then, the castle of his imagination stood proud and strong. His hidden lips smiled at the thought and the hope it brought with it, soothing what secret disappointment he might accumulated during the day. It was still a tad too early to sleep for the Brave Detective but he was not averted to rest either. In the house, Yuuta and his family had yet to finish their dinner. Their laughter, still present but fading a little as food became the center of their attention, calmed his heart as he settled comfortably on the shock absorbers and commenced with the resting…though it really did not take too long before the lack of activities finally lured him into a true sleep.

_**xxxxx**_

Unlike Deckerd, 'home' for the other Brave Police detectives were the Japan Police Force Headquarter itself. As the working hours came to an end and the building was beginning to empty out of their workers, the robots soon found the place all to themselves. Usually, many of the Brave robots seized the freedom from their jobs with a recreational drive around the city and the areas in proximity. A rare occurrence was that McCrane, who usually stayed in the Decker Room for an extended hour or so to finish whatever reports he had left incomplete, also decided to leave – and the moment he announced his intention, the crane-former was plagued with meaningful stares and not so well-covered snickers, most prominently from DrillBoy.

"Is there a problem with it?" A confused McCrane demanded, magnanimously sparing the driller and choosing to direct his question to GunMax instead, whose snickers had been the loudest after Drillboy's. The Decker Room was suddenly filled with a sense of friendly teasing that infected the moods of all the Brave robots present, even Duke whose deadpan gazing on his computer screen contradicted the smile he tried to futilely hide.

The biker cop was grinning like the devil himself – with imagination, one might easily envision two horns protruding from the white helmet – and shrugged dismissively. With a flick of his wrist, his long-nozzled revolver spun round his two extended fingers before he slotted it in his side-waist compartment, doing so with ease borne from years of practices. The Build member waited with unwavering patience, making certain that his stare would not go unnoticed by the highway patroller. GunMax, being in no mood for a boringly silent competition of patience when he had his treasured GunBike to take a spin, said airily, "Oh, nothing. Just be sure to make the lady's waiting worth her time."

At this, and GunMax was immensely satisfied at his achievement, McCrane's white cheek-plating grew hot with embarrassment. It had never been an official thing or at least, not something that McCrane had openly advertised but all of the Brave robots knew of his more-than-just-friend relationship with Seia Inoue, the Captain of Self-Defense Force 9th division. Demands from their respective jobs made spending time together a difficult arrangement for these two but when opportunities arose, neither the army lady nor the Combat Detective wasted it. For this particular case, McCrane and Seia had been apart for nearly a month. Apparently, the others have noticed it too because the 'lady' mentioned by GunMax just now could only refer to Seia.

McCrane's response was an embarrassment-filled silence which was made further awkward by DrillBoy's stifled giggling. GunMax made no attempt to hide his triumphant smirk as he stood up from his chair and outwardly pushed his interlacing fingers until the gears within gave a satisfying _crack_. He calmly resumed his body stretching for a few more seconds before turning to leave the place…though at the very last moment, he could not refrain the mocking salute towards the crane-former and yelled, "Good luck!"

The two sentences were followed by a roaring good-natured laugh from the rest of them. McCrane, helpless to defend himself from being further 'victimized', merely shook his helm in defeat. Despite knowing the legitimacy of their relationships – none of the Brave Polices objected to it and despite their friendly teasing whenever the chance presented itself, they actually encouraged it – McCrane always found himself getting progressively shy the longer he talked about it. Their mirth soon dwindled down to peaceful silence and McCrane's cheeks lost their distinctive warmth though the embarrassment remained as a subtle glow in the innermost part of his frame. His comrades resumed their interrupted works – which were not much, really, since they were getting ready to leave the Decker Room anyway. However, the crane-former quickly noticed Dumpson's lack of hurriedness when in usual circumstances, he was among the ones who were frequently absent from their midst after working hours. Contrary to himself, the Wrestler Detective had more flexibility of time to be with his own lover; Ayako Kimizuka, while still a globetrotting journalist-plus-reporter, was not as strictly bound to time schedule as Seia did. This ought to be one of those circumstances where some new cases worth investigating popped up from nowhere; if such was the truth, the red-haired woman could be off up to days at a time.

Though GunMax had already left the place – probably off to cruise the coastal road on his GunBike because he had always loved the view and the lack of traffic there – there were other candidates to initiate another round of teasing, the chief among them being Power Joe. Now, the power shovel was busy fending off DrillBoy's persuasion to accompany him for a little sightseeing drive (though it would seem that the driller would win Power Joe over soon with the latter's increasingly unenthusiastic rejection) but there was no telling if the yellow-clad Detective would launch his 'teasing campaign' at any moment. Unwilling to bear through anymore embarrassment, friendly or no, McCrane swept out of the Decker Room once he had deemed the state of his working desk satisfactorily neat, his trusty gun tucked in the hidden compartment on his back, just in case he was required to engage criminals at a moment's notice.

However, as soon as he stepped into the night, his thoughts went ahead of his body, being cast into the distance where Seia would be waiting for his arrival. In his mind's eye, already the crane-former envisioned the woman of his love – she would appear in casual outfit instead of her normally olive-green military uniform, as was her wont during their dates. The brunette hair, slightly sun-tinged with redness, would not be imprisoned in her uniform's hat, being let loose to cover her back. And she would be smiling when she saw his coming, her lipstick-decorated lips spreading to welcome him without fail like they always had when she saw the crane pulling over in front of her house. He thought of all these and more while transforming into his alternate form of hydraulic crane and all the way to Seia's residence, the local radio seemingly able to read the distilling moods of romanticism by airing appropriate tunes – and McCrane soon found himself humming softly to the gentle music rolling out from his speakers. From the hints the universe gave, this would be a beautiful night indeed.


	3. Chapter 3

When morning came, it was clear that summer had truly, undoubtedly settled over Japan; dawn came swiftly and the sun rose to the sky with blazing redness heralding the warmth that would soon follow throughout the day. Rising with it was Yuuta who, after much grumbling and fumbling for the wailing alarm clock, managed to shut the noises off but was too wide awake to resume sleeping. He tossed in his bed for a few more minutes, wishing that his mind would just stop thinking and started dreaming instead, until it became clear that he was merely wasting his waking hours by being stubborn. So, with much grumbling and under-the-breath curses, Yuuta snatched his towel from the pile of his clothes he was too lazy to fold last night and went to shower himself, still wondering why on Earth he had set his clock to ring so early when today was his day-off.

The hot shower cleared much of Yuuta's sleep haziness and by the time he was out of the bathroom, the young man found himself considerably cheered that he had actually gotten up early. Not surprisingly, Azuki was already up and about, skillfully balancing plates and cups for breakfast in her hands and on her arms and not the least aware of her feat, which, to Yuuta's eyes, seemingly of supernatural ability.

"Oh, good morning, Yuuta!" She said pleasantly; all the teetering glassware survived the journey and were carefully placed on the table where they had had their dinner last night.

Yuuta returned the greeting and was about to ask where her husband was when the smell of toasted bread wafted from the kitchen. Azuki hurried off to save the meal from being completely burnt beyond consumption. The inquiry died in his throat though he needed not ask it anymore; Kashiwazaki must be still in their bedroom and readying himself for today's work if his wife's hurriedness to get the breakfast ready could be made as an indicator.

"If you hurry, you might be able to catch breakfast with Masaya," Azuki said as she flitted past Yuuta, confirming his assumption right away – one of her hands is now laden with stacks of breads, perfectly toasted to delicious brown, and the other with a few bottles of jam. Seeing them was enough to make Yuuta's stomach rumbled and eating with his brother-in-law seemed like a nice prospect, remembering last night's dinner.

Yuuta told her that yes, he would very much like to breakfast with Kashiwazaki – and in less than two minutes, the young man had dashed upstairs, got himself decently dressed in t-shirts and denim shorts, dried his hair enough that the water didn't drip and was soon sitting on the same table as his brother-in-law, biting pieces of his buttered toast and sub-consciously wondering how the hell did Kashiwazaki managed to get his hair to lie so neatly throughout the day – Yuuta's own hair was only half as manageable in his recent after-shower and it would get all the more ruffled when it dried completely. Azuki joined the table shortly after, once she had done all the toasting and no breads were in any danger of becoming an over-burnt mass of black. Talk was scarce, not because of any awkwardness but rather out of the couple's pressing schedule, of which they were already running a little late to go to work. From what he glimpsed, Kashiwazaki had a little trouble waking up this morning and Yuuta had a suspicion that it was caused by the bottle of _sake _they had shared last night – his brother-in-law was a lightweight against alcohols. The plates and cups were soon empty and they rose from the table while Azuki, with a swish of her skirt, hurried off to fetch both of their briefcases from their bedroom and returned not more than a minute later.

Yuuta watched as his sister did a quick adjusting on Kashiwazaki's tie at the doorway before the young doctor and his wife stepped out of the door. They offered a hasty _good morning_ as they trotted past the Corvette still parked at the side of the house – and Deckerd's voice returned the greeting, though by the time his sentence was finished, Kashiwazaki and Azuki were already out on the road and rushing off in the direction of the nearest train station which was a mere 5-minute walk from the Tomonaga residence. There, they would take different trains to their workplaces which unfortunately lay in totally opposite directions.

In the hustles of the couple's departures, Yuuta had quite forgotten to greet his vehicular friend until Deckerd took the initiative and wished him the usual, "Good morning, Yuuta," which Yuuta responded in kind through apologetic tone. It took Deckerd shorter time to reach the Police Headquarter than Kashiwazaki or Azuki did with their respective workplaces but Yuuta was still puzzled to see Deckerd there. He asked of this to the Corvette-Deckerd, "Shouldn't you be going too?"

No sooner he said this that Yuuta suddenly noticed that the place was not exactly quiet – Deckerd's engine was turned on but was set at idle, the rumbles contrastingly soft compared to it in full-blown rev. His first thought was that Deckerd had forgotten that this was Yuuta's day off and was therefore waiting for him – but Deckerd's dipping headlights, a constitute to nodding motion in this vehicular form, stopped him from voicing out his theory.

"I should, in a while," Deckerd agreed, "but I am waiting for myself to get warmed up."

Yuuta smacked his forehead reflexively; of course, Deckerd had developed a habit of heating his engine first thing first before starting any journey for the first time of the day. Though it was not mandatory for him to do so, Deckerd preferred that way since, as Yuuta had been told before and had evidently forgotten, the heat roused him from whatever lingering sleepiness that might tempered his driving performance. Yuuta honestly thought that severest effect it could have on the Brave Detective was merely reduced average speed but the young man felt the needlessness to prolong the topic – Deckerd's ingrained insistence to ensure safety was not something he could be lightly talked out of, no matter how trivial his measures seemed to be.

"Have any plan for today?" the Brave Detective asked; Yuuta detected slight longing – minuscule, really – leaking into his tone. The teenager understood Deckerd's unspoken wish to spend time with him but the robot was grudgingly insistent on working today, on the basis that he had left some of his reports unfinished upon fetching Yuuta from the airport – and it was made doubly worse, seeing that it was supposed to be handed in _yesterday_ .

Yuuta shook his head in answer. "Other than getting a new cellphone – not exactly. Maybe I'll just hang out somewhere…"

To the boy's surprise, Deckerd responded in a light chuckle that crept even into the revving of his engine which rumbled in a much deeper tone, quickly adding afterwards, "You better start planning, then. It's not everyday a police officer gets a day off."

"_Hmmph_, you could have had taken a day off too or I won't be so alone," Yuuta was honestly teasing his friend but the effect it left on Deckerd was not as intended because the headlights drooped down discouragingly, almost all the way into their slots.

"I'm sorry, Yuuta, but I don't feel right to delay handing in the report any longer…and you know how Mr. Azuma –"

" – I was just _kidding_, Deckerd."

That I-got-you smile, more than the confession, stopped the obviously long apology-plus-explanation from reaching its end, belatedly recognizing that Yuuta's seeming accusations were nothing more than harmless jokes. Yuuta understood perfectly Deckerd's position and held nothing against him, especially knowing that the robot detective, though not as rigid as Duke, was still a very disciplined person. Not to mention that Mr. Azuma, whom the reports should be handled to, hardly forgave any excuse for tardiness and his speech whenever someone displeased him with that particular offense was long and tiresome.

"I better get going," the Corvette eventually said after a few seconds of polite stillness. His engine had been sufficiently heated, ready now for the road that lay ahead. "See you later, Yuuta."

Deckerd shifted into the first gear and allowed himself to roll along the short driveway. As the Corvette's long hood emerged into the morning sun, the white surface glinting under the intense light, Yuuta gave it a light farewell pat near the gigantic BP emblem stamped upon it, accompanying the gesture with a lighthearted, "Bye, Deckerd!"

The vibrations that travelled under Yuuta's palms were in themselves an answer to the teenager's farewell. He did not need to hear words from Deckerd to know that he had been heard or replied to. Yuuta allowed his hand to slide away as the car continued along the driveway until Deckerd was completely out of the house's yard. The furthest one could see Deckerd off was until he took the first junction, a few hundred yards from the house, but Yuuta did not stay until then though the Corvette's engine, never subtle in its declaration of power, echoed through the neighbourhood even after he was gone. The teenager thought longingly of the speed Deckerd could reach and regretted that the traffic law did not allow one to travel up to four hundred kilometer per hour – Deckerd's car-form's top speed was achieved only rarely, and only when in emergency – when he went back into the house and the last echoing note of Deckerd's departure faded to silence.

Kurumi was already seated at the table when the door closed behind Yuuta; before her were plates of toast and scrambled eggs that Azuki had deposited before leaving. His sister was 'busy' enjoying her food and Yuuta, knowing the foolishness of getting between her and her meals, decided to humour himself with the television instead, whose current program aired was the morning news. He was not a big fan of it but it was a necessity to him, so he sat down opposite of Kurumi and droned for almost an hour through boring bulletin that did not quite concern him. The weather forecast took some interest in him – the all-day sunny predictions put him in good cheer – but the rest simply made him yawn. Kurumi gave up on watching it halfway through the news about the building of a new interstate highway, leaving the table once she had done eating.

"Going somewhere, sis?" Yuuta asked, sensing the same air of hurriedness that had enveloped Azuki and Kashiwazaki earlier about Kurumi.

"Yeah; tae-kwan-do practices," She said dismissively, "The tournament is approaching and my coach is nuts about winning."

Kurumi continued to dash about, locating her socks, sneakers and other stuffs she needed for her practice sessions with wildly searching eyes. Yuuta made sure to stay well out of the way – Kurumi's punch can be quite painful which was not that surprising, seeing her as an active competitor in aforementioned martial art. The bulletin was coming to an end when the doorbell rang once, twice and thrice in quick succession that bothered Kurumi enough to make her said, "Get the door, Yuuta."

In truth, Yuuta did not need to be told to. His own curiosity was a powerful enough motivation because receiving visitors this early was not something routine for the Tomonagas – or for anyone, for that matter. Yuuta ran the mental list in his mind for people who might be beyond the door at this hour – the newspaper-man made very early tours on his bicycle but his delivery was thrown into the house's vicinity, not sent directly to the doorstep. His past experiences whispered of the possibility of dangerous criminals…but though it was not out of reach, the notion was also rather implausible. Nevertheless, Yuuta let wariness flowed into his muscles, readying them for split-second response while opening the door –

"SURPRISE!"

Of all the things running his mind, a happy exclamation right into his face was the very last item to be thought of – but that was not what had failed his responses so completely. Rather, it was the faces that greeted him at the doorway, one of which so close to his own now since the owner had commenced with a tight embrace on his lanky person. Yuuta gave an involuntary squeak as breath left him though it was not as squeezing as Kurumi's had been last night.

"D-dad…?" Yuuta said, almost squealing from his lack of breath – and Yuuchirou Tomonaga released his youngest son from his hold. Standing only slightly behind her husband, Yuuta's mother Amami Tomonaga smiled at the reunion of father and son and stepped forward to give Yuuta her own embrace once Yuuchirou was done with his brand of greeting. Her arms, tanned like the rest of her skin from working under the sun, were gentle when they wrapped round Yuuta's girth, as motherly as they should always be.

From her bedroom, where Kurumi was heading to after her 'order' to Yuuta to answer the doorbell's ringing, the sister's voice shouted, "What's that ruckus, Yuuta?"

His mother had broken away from the hug and was regarding the Tomonaga's only son with joy and what could have been pride. Kurumi's hollered inquiry went unanswered with Yuuta still dazed by the appearance of his parents which he had not seen for almost a year and a half.

"Uh…Mom? Dad? I didn't know that you're coming home today."

"It's your Dad," Amami snorted though her smile was kind and friendly, "He insisted on making it a surprise."

Which was typical of his rather eccentric father, Yuuta thought belatedly as he welcomed both of them into the house. Really, contending Yuuchirou's wackiness with that of Mr. Saejima's would very probably result in a tie.

"And oh, I forgot this –" Yuuchirou said, smacking his forehead. For a split second, Yuuta wondered what it was that his father was snatching from the floor but as his father passed into the house, a folded newspaper was tossed at Yuuta, who reflexively caught it. Yuuta raised an eyebrow but Yuuchirou merely replied, "You'll find something in there."

Yuuta's eyebrows lifted higher at the obscure answer. "Something like…?"

But his words were caught off by the sound of Kurumi's footsteps dashing into the dining room. Kurumi's discovery of her mother already taking her seat at the table saved Yuuta from the need to answer her previous inquiry and from the audible gasp she made, Yuuta judged that his sister was just as clueless to their parents' abrupt return as he was.

"Come on, son. I bet your mother has already tucked herself in – and I'm starving myself."

Yuuchirou hobbled along the hallway without waiting for Yuuta's reply, his travelling bag bumping against his thigh as he went for the source of Kurumi's and Amami's voices. Yuuta obediently followed him to the dining room, not exactly hungry but curious to the whereabouts of his parents' return. With both being Japan representatives in global archeological expeditions, their times were rarely devoid of activities, let alone long enough for them to return to Japan. Once in a while, they had such luck but it was seldom enough that the Tomonaga siblings rarely counted on such circumstances. Amami and Kurumi were already sitting at the table, the former helping herself to toasts that none of the siblings could finish (Azuki always insisted on cooking more food than necessary on reasons that she might never knew if anyone felt hungrier than usual). Kurumi touched nothing, remembering the folly of having full belly while engaged in vigorous kicking and punching through tae-kwan-do practices. Yuuchirou deposited his travelling bag right beside Amami's at the feet of the table, where it landed with a dull, muffled _thump. _Yuuta eyed the bags suspiciously, both of which werestuffed to bulging capacity by clothes and other necessities and perhaps a trinket or two from his parents' newest excavation site.

"…There's no chance that another Barames-something is hiding in that, is there?"

"Bara…? Oh, you mean _Cabalientro baraelicatodomes_?" Yuuchirou grinned his usual all-teeth-showing smile that was not unlike his son's – except for now, Yuuta's expression was the perfect opposite of his father's. Yuuta had outgrown his childhood phobia of insects – caterpillars, chiefly – but the event with the ancient, gigantic, city-rampaging caterpillar that Saejima had carelessly dubbed Barames had left in him a particular hatred towards bugs, even if the subsequent creepy-crawlies he met were normal-sized.

Yuuta continued to eye his father with a stare that never failed to amaze Yuuchirou; his son's eyes, though retaining the liveliness of his father's, could give a glare so withering that one would be hard-pressed to ignore them. It was Amami's distinguishing you-better-tell-me-right-now-resistance-is-futile stare that had not been inherited to Azuki; instead it was descended to Kurumi and Yuuta, most surprisingly. Yuuchirou, finding himself under the intensity of Amami's look in his son, finally relented. "No, there are no six-legged, body-segmented or antennae-headed animals in there, I assure you."

Only then Yuuta consented into sitting, taking his place beside Yuuchirou. As his parents went through the meager assortments of toasts, scrambled eggs and jams, Yuuta decided to find out what it was in the newspapers that Yuuchirou was getting hyped about. He found it on the fourth page after a quick sorting-through, in a column reporting of Tokyo's museum holding a collaborative exhibition of ancient tribes around the world. It would be held for about a week and today would be the opening of the event.

"Is this it?" Yuuta asked, holding the concerned page for his father to see.

"Yeah, isn't it exciting? It has the exhibitions for artifacts from Asia, Australia and even South America!" Yuuchirou answered in response to Yuuta's inquiry, which completely baffled the son.

"But…you've been digging up things all over the world, all the time! What's so special about it?" Kurumi interrupted, voicing out Yuuta's question before the teenager could do so himself.

"Now, now; not 'all over the world' and certainly 'not all the time'," Yuuchirou looked slightly uneasy at the liberal semantics but held his urge to commence with the corrections his children would sure to take lightly, "Anyway…it is an exhibition of arguably among the most interesting ancient cultures we've studied. Some of the items on display are so rare we never know when others like them will be discovered again. It's simply an amazing chance for us to get some new insights!"

"Plus, we are given certain…privileges to personally inspect these items if we feel like it. It's the perks of being archeologists with the right contact. Of course, your Dad and I can't refuse a chance like this," Amami added after swallowing a mouthful of strawberry jam-splattered toast; there was a smear of redness on the corner of her lips which she quickly wiped away prior to her reply.

"Exactly. And we can't find a free time long enough to return home until the very last day…" Yuuchirou trailed off as he usually did whenever he gave inaccurate information. He cast his mind about to find suitable correction, eyes roving on the buttered toast as if it was engraved with some secret inscriptions upon it before resuming with a smile, "Actually, we could take a short leave easily, but we want a longer day-off, with our son finally finished with college."

Yuuta's eyes conveyed the gratitude he was feeling – a look of fondness that had both parents smiling even wider than they did before – and said, "So, how long will you be here?"

"A week, at most," Yuuchirou said, sparing his wife from the trouble of swallowing her food to make the reply. He was still methodically spreading butter and jam on the toasts – his third one – before he commenced with the eating, as was his wont. Yuuta and Kurumi nodded, knowing that a week was a long time to be spared for someone with schedules as hectic as their parents.

"Where are Azuki and Kashiwazaki?" Amami said between her swallows and converted the siblings' attention to herself.

"Working, of course. You missed them by only a few minutes. Speaking of which…" Kurumi eyed the clock hanging on the wall above the kitchen's doorway, her forehead creasing as she read the time, "I'm running late on my practices too. The coach is going to have my head if I don't turn up soon."

"We can't have that now, do we? Go ahead; we'll see you in the evening." Yuuchirou grinned and showed again his perfect white teeth, a contrast to his darker, tanned skin. The head of the Tomonaga family never did have any misgivings to sport activities, though Kurumi getting actively involved with martial arts to the point of competing in it still came as a shock to both of their parents – they had always assumed Yuuta to be the likelier candidate for such matters before his days of being Boss of the Brave Polices.

Kurumi rose from her chair, swiftly darting to Amami and landed a goodbye kiss on her mother's cheeks, complete with the uttered farewells, before doing the same to Yuuchirou. Yuuta was granted with a quick hand-waving before she left the place, and the sound of her closing the door reaching the remaining three Tomonagas made the young man wondered how much longer the poor door could stand a Kurumi-standard forceful closing. However, he was used to it and Yuuta hardly made a move that acknowledged her departure while Yuuchirou and Amami, despite knowing their daughter's tendency, flinched as the sound waves from the shutting door hit their eardrums.

Yuuchirou took two seconds to recover before he realized that the toast he had so carefully prepared was still untouched. He took his first bite and said, once the chewing was done, "Say, Yuuta; where is Patokichi? I don't see him anywhere."

The young man mentally shook his head in defeat; the nickname given by Ohmura a.k.a the Coach, and later picked up by the rest of his neighbours and family members, initially gave Yuuta the cringe. 'Patokichi' hardly did justice to Deckerd; it sounded far too childish and it left out the impressions Yuuta had always perceived from the Brave Detective – of nobility, of kindness, of strength to defy evils. Of course, of all the possible, more apt choices out there, the name stuck to this very day. Yuuta eventually adjusted to people calling the robot Patokichi but honestly, he never wholly approved of it despite his tight lips and Deckerd's own assurance of his acceptance to the title.

"At the office," Yuuta said, folding the newspapers he had been holding with a sigh. "The Commissioner gave me a day off…and Deckerd could get one easily but…"

"Unfinished works?" Yuuchirou added between bites. With 90% of the time in a year being abroad, Yuuchirou and his wife rarely had eyes-to-optics meeting with the blue-armoured officer but Yuuta's talks of him gave the father enough impressions of Deckerd's personality – Procrastination was the first one crossed out of the list of his possible traits.

Yuuta's shoulders sagged, a you-know-how-he-was on his disappointed face. Even if Mr. Azuma was thrown out of the equation, the natural responsibility, so thickly sewn into Deckerd's being, strapped him invisibly to his desk when there were still jobs to be finished until his working hours came to the end – and even then, his mind would be on the case or some other reports that still needed typing. Yuuta himself was not so different from his robotic friend…but to have a day off without Deckerd turned out to be a discouraging prospect.

Yuuchirou exchanged his grin for a smile of more reassuring nature – _He would be back before you know it_ subtly adapted into the twists of his mouth. Yuuta's facial muscles eased themselves, copying the expressions worn by his father on his own face. The consolation was perceived even without words and Yuuchirou deemed that a small victory which made his heart swelled with gladness.

"What are you going to do today?"

And Yuuta's answer to his father's inquiry was pretty much the same, in essence, to the one he had given Deckerd earlier. He broke off upon noticing his parents' stare upon him – he had not realized when it began, but an imagined voice accused his mentioning of the cellphone and hastily added, "Not an expensive one. Just something simple, you know? I'll use my savings, I promise."

Yuuta did not think that a cellphone would be much of a concern; he'd had it before, though through circumstances and bad luck, his previous one ended up damaged during an accidental fall just a few days prior to his return. The lack of cellphone did not threat his mortality but his social life suffered – none of his friends could contact him easily and even his sisters had a difficult time to receive news of their youngest sibling. In the wake of said gadget's untimely demise, a sense of guilt followed Yuuta around, feeling as if he failed some sort of a test for responsibility in its damage.

"We trust you that you will use your money responsibly," Yuuchirou's sun-aged face showed no sign of seriousness that heralded scolding but a look of concern played in his bespectacled eyes. Though the glasses were on perfect position on his nose, out of pure habit when starting a conversation that could lead somewhere rather than his usual nonsense, Yuuchisou reached up and pushed the glasses higher on his nose by the rim and said, "Besides, it's never a good idea to impress a girl with cool stuffs."

"…What?" Yuuta doubted that his ears had heard right but the mutual smiles both of his parents wore seemed to confirm his eardrums' normal functionality. Then, a totally out-of-place sound made Yuuta jumped in his seat – a mirthful giggle from his mother threw him into complete bafflement after teetering on the edge of it from Yuuchirou's statement.

"Most boys make the same mistakes. Of course, having those gadgets might turn a few heads but it doesn't really say who you are," Amami supplied and burying Yuuta under another additional ton of confusion.

"Mom, Dad…Are you seriously thinking that I'm getting a phone because I want to have a date?" The utter bewilderment – as well as the honesty in his question – caught his parents by surprise. The two of them exchanged a stare full of meaning but whose comprehension came only to married couples with complete understanding of each other's eye gestures, thus Yuuta missing the silent conversation the two were having.

"…Aren't you 'with' someone? Kurumi said that…"

Amami left her sentence free to interpretation, though the clue of 'Kurumi' was enough for Yuuta to guess the whole picture her sister had constructed in his parents' minds. Of course, being a perfectly normal teenage boy made interest in the opposite sex inevitable but he had yet reached that stage – or rather, he was unable to maintain his standing. With his parents assuming advancement in relationship that far outstripped reality, Yuuta felt that the details could wait until he was more secured.

"Kurumi is overstating things, Mom. I did date girls before…but not right now," Yuuta's explanation came with a sigh, which grew all the heavier as his answer seemed to rouse more worry than vanquish them – and Yuuta knew why. "It's not a big deal, honest. We are just not…um, made for each other."

They searched confirmation with their eyes, their mouths silent, and Yuuta gave them an answer in likewise manner. Apparently, Yuuta was displaying such calmness and acceptance at his fate that his parents could find no words of consolation to give afterwards. Breaking up was never easy, truth to be told, and Yuuta was affected too no matter how much he liked to think otherwise. But there was no other option when it came to his previous attempt at relationship – the differences the girl and he harboured were like magnets of the same poles, pushing them away rather than complementing each other. The hurt took time to heal – but heal it did, and though Yuuta never gave up the prospect of romance, it seemed that the right one was hard to come by. Sometimes, especially when he was alone and memories occupied his mind, there was a nagging fear that he himself had been too choosy for his own good – but Yuuta, call him a hopeless romantic or some other names besides, was not prepared to love without giving all, and the one he gave would have to be special to his heart, and not someone picked out in pathetic desperation.

The subject of Yuuta's romance life was not something he brought up intentionally even with his sisters but to be talking about it to his parents, the young man was at complete loss. His fluentness went only as far as saying 'it's okay' and its derivatives. There were not many experiences in himself to be made substance for conversation and whatever problems he thought he was having, it was too minuscule to merit a discussion with his parents – so he assumed. Teenagers don't talk about petty love problems with their parents, especially when said parents were abroad for most time of the year making a living – and immensely enjoying it, all the while – out of whatever artifacts they uncovered from the dirt. It was bound to be one of those long-stretching awkward silence until either side found a topic to break it, as Yuuta sensed it, but he was saved from sitting through it by the call of the Tomonaga pet cat Urunyan, the audible scraping of claws on woody materials made it evident that the feline was begging to be let out.

"Just a sec," Yuuta said, accentuating his promise with a finger gesture. He did not wait for his parents' reply; the meowing was becoming too loud to warrant delay. In any case, he was not about to complain – it was usually Azuki's job to let the cat out for his daily forage but his unusual lateness today was a blessing to the boy who was stuck with a theme he had no answer when asked of it.

Yuuchirou and Amami were prepared to abandon the topic that obviously had Yuuta's buttocks on fire. There would always come the time when a son's inexperience would compel the elder's life experiences for guidance, but now was not such moments. They had no qualms in waiting for the time when their wisdom would be called for but as Yuuta rose from his chair and shouted assurance to Urunyan in hopeless effort to quiet the cat, the boy missed another wordless conversation between his parents. The motherly instinct worried for the heart wounded by unfortunate romance but the glint in Yuuchirou's eyes displayed faith in his children, both girls and the only boy. Tomonaga blood did not let sufferings keep them in torn pieces for long.

"He'll be fine," Yuuchirou muttered with an almost ventriloquist's skills, his lips made almost no movements but for a few quirks that could have been soundless from appearance alone. Yuuta was young, years or youthful spiritedness lay ahead of him full with promises for a happy future – and if Yuuta turned out to be having the same luck as his father, it could be that he was destined for a diamond that lay hidden among the many gemstones in the treasure trove, difficult to spot but the finding of it would saw no other substitute of its perfectness. The woman before Yuuchirou's eyes was statement to that; Amami was _his _precious diamond, a late finding after many disappointments but one he knew he would never let go.

When Yuuta was finally back into the kitchenette, the silent parental conversation had now drifted into true silence and a wordless agreement had passed between his parents, contenting to be mere watchers for the time being.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

McCrane knew how to time his schedule in such a way that he would not be late for work today and yet avoiding the period with the heaviest traffic. If he had stayed at the police headquarter, he would not have to bother himself with it, with practically living there would save him time of which his journey would cost. However, a personal time with Seia was a rarity that the crane-former was not willing to miss. Busy with their respective careers, all of the taken Brave Polices did not have the leisure of dating whenever they desired it, hence their high appreciation of them whenever opportunities arose.

The road to the police headquarter was not completely devoid but it provided enough space for McCrane to maintain a relatively constant speed throughout. He was not technically late when he finally reached his destination but Deckerd, who was almost always the last Brave Police to report for duty owing to his lodging at Yuuta's house, was already there; McCrane met his leader at the entrance of the long hallways that connected the main bay to the Decker Room. The brief shine of Deckerd's optics told of his surprise at McCrane's later-than-usual arrival but he made no mention of it other than his usual pleasantry of 'good morning.' McCrane's relationship was a discreet knowledge that everybody knew but was only occasionally discussed. Genteel Deckerd had the mercy to spare him the embarrassment of the teasing, something that his Build Team brethren sparsely had in store.

"Good morning, Deckerd," McCrane replied to the greeting before falling into step behind his leader. The _clank-clank-clank_ of their footsteps inside the hallway were rapid as the four separate legs strode along it but the crane-former was only dimly aware of how the sound from their progress sounded deceptively like a single person in medium jog. Most of his mind was still back with Seia, she whose presence was a core of warmth that nurture the human within McCrane's armoured form. Long ago, he had thought the emotions and indulgences in them were distractions…but Seia had taught him likewise, risking much in her part just to sink the lesson into his mentality. There would be no forgetting the night of his startling discovery – that his robotic appearance did not extend to his personality, which was far more humanly than previously assumed. It was a shocking freedom to be told that having wishes and wants was no flaw even for a mechanical being like himself.

**_xxxxx_**

_The Decker Room was decidedly a much less inviting place when you were alone, McCrane concluded, while the clock counted the passing time with the ticking of its hands. At 2 in the morning, it had been almost two hours since Commissioner Saejima, Boss, Deckerd, Ayako and Seia had left the place all to himself to guard his charge, who now seemed to be merely a lifeless statue…if not for the Brave Polices' first-hand witness of its – her – effects. Inti was a spiritual entity whose constant hunger could only be assuaged by consuming the desires of other people, but having a demon wrapping herself around your person in an effort to feed herself was only part of the problem; Inti optimized her intake by intensifying her victims' wishes so drastically that even the simplest longing could become monstrous greed…and all the while, her preys were under her complete mercy, released only when she had drained all that she could – or, as the Brave Polices found out, if her victim was knocked out cold during which she would free her victims. _

_Said demon, whose physical manifestation was an emerald-hued statue with features only vaguely humanoid, now stood in a glass case upon McCrane's desk. He had sat before her for hours, his hands in a loose grip upon the muzzle of his shotgun, and the silence and solitude were starting to take their toll on the Combat Detective. Though far from falling asleep – the Brave Polices' need for sleep was not as strict as humans were – McCrane was getting drowsy in the pure boredom. He doubted that he possessed anything desirable to Inti which could induce her to break her dormancy and so risked a momentary wandering to the window. The window blinding had been drawn down for the night but McCrane could still glimpse the many lights from surrounding buildings when he peered through the blade of the blinding. These proud structures stirred McCrane's thought processes; so many humans had made their living there…and everywhere in the city, the ambitions and successes of its inhabitants thrummed through the place. Practically every dream could be achieved if only one put enough effort into it…so why was there still discontent with what they have? It was not as if – _

_The sound of crashing glass startled the Combat Detective out of his musings and prompted his body to turn around to face the source of the noise. Mouth agape in disbelief, McCrane was staring with wide optics at the human-sized statue of Inti…now free of her glass case, the pieces of her former prison lay shattered on the floor around her hovering feet. Gone was her inanimate behavior; her body was aglow in a revolting light which faded even as McCrane continued his staring, her brief surge of power to break herself out dissipating back into sleep. Her previously folded arms now spread on her sides in a grotesque gesture of welcome – welcoming McCrane's wants to fuel her life… _

_Then, despite her lack of physical mouth, Inti's subtle voice filled the robot's audio sensors, a tone that carried with it a trance of subjugation and it spoke hauntingly to McCrane, "__**…Would you like to fulfill your deepest desires…?**__"_

_McCrane was unfazed – Inti's offer meant nothing to him. With his hands busy loading the gun, McCrane regarded the demonic statue with distaste and replied, "Sorry, but I don't have such ugly emotions."_

"…_**I can see your desires…**__"_

_And before McCrane's very optics, Inti's physique melted cunningly into a renewed visual of a woman, luxurious red-tinged black hair cascading down the curvaceous form, full, luscious lips smiling at the robot with an invitation that stirred emotions previously unknown in the Combat Detective. McCrane's composure slipped as the image of Seia Inoue took a clarity that paled the statue it was superimposed upon; his body shook with weakness, a violent trembling that coursed through his frame and replaced the confidence with which he had claimed himself to be emotionless. No, it can't be… _

"…_**I can see your desires…**__"_

_McCrane's hands lay limp on his shotgun, paralyzed by shock and his own inability to defy his attraction to the woman's image. No, Inti MUST be lying to him…he was a Brave Police! He did not have greed! That compelling need to protect lives…it had nothing to do with feelings. It was the imperatives programmed into him as a police officer, disguised by their own naivety to be heart-born emotions. It was just impossible for him to have any kind of interest in Seia, least of all in the way that the demon was suggesting…right?_

"…_**your desires…**__"_

_McCrane could hear the confident smirk in her disembodied voice but he no longer cared about his surroundings; his sight was turned inwards and what he saw there blinded him to all others save for his own warring consciences. Brave Polices had empirical, logical and directive desires, shaped by the installed objectives in their Super …but these? These selfish emotions were humanly things, distractions that hindered his natural functions! The Brave robots could not possible have such corruption in their systems! No, he had none of the so-called emotional attachment to Seia Inoue outside of their professions; his primary directives were to be protector of the innocents, to keep the world safe, to uphold justice and brought the wrongdoers to judgment –_

"…_**If that is your wish…**__"_

_McCrane's realization came too late to be of any use – no matter what his desire was, Inti could extract from it a foothold for her possession. McCrane did not scream but even if he had intended to, Inti left no time wasted. In a flash, she came hurtling towards him in all of her terrible glory, her eyes red with hunger, her voice spoke only of maniacal laughter instead of words. In that few moments of terrible helplessness, McCrane's optics drank in fascinating details of the beginning of his horror – noticing how, as Inti neared him, her body shone sickeningly purple as it transformed from her normal statue-like appearance to her elongated, serpentine, parasitic form. McCrane could not help throwing his arms up in what was recognized as a futile self-defense – Indeed, Inti's limb breached the barrier laughably easy, latching herself on the robot's armours. Revolted by the contact, McCrane dropped his weapon and tried to pry off the demon when she draped her tentacle-like body across his face and around his arm and neck…but for all the good it did, McCrane might as well be standing still. _

_McCrane knew that he had to fight the demon off lest her spell would consume him…but he could not find it in him the desire to do so. A kind of righteous confidence had replaced his fear of Inti – come to think of it, the demonic being had little significance in the current circumstances. What mattered most was his function, to bring justice to the world where evil was so widespread that it seemed laws and regulations had no effect on the offenders. Inti's influence which made some of them greedy beyond consideration was enough proof for McCrane to imply his own brand of hard, cold justice. Indeed, he believed the time for tolerance had long past – these criminals were a cancerous growth to humanity that needed trimming, and he would be the one holding the shears. Others would question his measures but that was only because they were inferiorly minded to see past the present. They would have nothing to say against him once they saw the effectiveness of his ways…_

_So be it. Only fire could fight fire, and McCrane's shotgun would be the first weapon to spark the cleansing inferno._

_**xxxxx**  
_

McCrane remembered every detail following the possession of Inti – remembering how he had walked out of the police headquarter, not bothering to transform into his alternate form while he wandered the city streets, his gun at the ready while he searched for subjects of his wrath. He needed no telling of the unfolding of events when he did finally come across a group of noisy, havoc-wreaking road users – that he had used aggression on them and only Shadowmaru's fortunate passing spared him the guilt of taking lives unjustly. McCrane was fully conscious when he pulled the trigger and rained bullets on those humans. In fact, he might have turned against Shadowmaru when the Ninja Detective dropped out of the sky to stop his attempted killing rampage, if not for Inti, satiated by then, left her host and returned McCrane to his former self.

Though law enforcers themselves, Brave Polices did not deal out death to those they had captured; none of the humans were seriously injured in the assault but the fact gave no ease to McCrane. He had opened fire with intentions to kill…and he had no remorse to it then – violence was a justified action under Inti's vile whispering. When he came back to himself however, was an entirely different story. There were no words that could do justice to describe his terrible shock…but when Deckerd arrived on the scene, carrying with him Yuuta and Seia, McCrane's stable, orderly world collapsed at the sight of the woman. That he could have commenced even greater atrocity on her destroyed him from the inside. It was a pain that he had no strength to endure and as the pressure mounted, McCrane's systems responded to the intense despair by literally making his wish come true, entering stasis that would have been a permanent death for the Combat Detective if it was not for Seia's unconventional – but effective, nevertheless – method to convince him of the naturalness of having desires.

When McCrane had overcame his suicidal desire in the aftermath of Inti's manipulation, the woman later helped the robot faced his fear, subjecting herself to the will of Inti and exposed her own mirroring desire for the Combat Detective. To this very day, when McCrane's mind was unoccupied by the present, he could recall vividly Seia's lips meeting his own for the very first time, a surprisingly light, brief contact that contrasted the intense burning in McCrane's frame. He was too stunned by the suddenness to respond to her but there was no denying the joy and relief that had washed over him then…and suddenly, the sought-after understanding came over him. In that few short seconds between the kiss and the sudden intrusion of the now-gigantic Inti, as Seia's words finally pierced that false assumption of his 'inhuman' nature, McCrane understood why some people did such illogical things when it came to the question of their love. Conventional reasons failed in these people's universe, and when McCrane had burst out of the building, Seia Inoue in his protective embrace, he knew that he had surrounded himself in a similar universe as the aforementioned individuals…and he felt himself finally at peace in a very long time.

The peace lasted, but there was nevertheless struggle to embrace his more humanly sides. The path that McCrane had chosen to tread down was a difficult one as he came to terms with his deeper longing that surpassed the programmed objective as a Brave Police. His inner fighting was worth it, however, as their mutual attraction drew them ever closer together until there was no doubt of the place she held in the robot's heart. Hers was a faithful love which McCrane came to treasure above all else. During the quiet hours when Seia's first kiss for him came to mind, the Gawan conflict all those years ago was likewise remembered…he had internally scoffed Deckerd's impulsiveness to protect Yuuta to the extent of disregarding their life-protecting duties…but he finally understood the irrationality.

Now, as he and Deckerd walked the last length of the corridor, looking absent-mindedly at the blue-armoured back of his leader, McCrane wondered if the other experienced that same overwhelming surprise upon finding the deeper layer within themselves that housed their more humanly sides. Though McCrane took the claim of being the pioneer in romanticism among the Brave robots, Deckerd's shock of discovering his possession of emotions and sentience was purely his own. There was no Brave Police before him to have prepared him for the revelation. When the moment his awareness was roused, was it as startling as McCrane's revelatory moment had been? He did not know, but perhaps the shutting down immediately prior to Deckerd's sentience evoking – as seen in the inherent memory that were replayed during their episode with the Fahrzeugs – was basically the same response McCrane triggered upon finding out his evil deeds under the influence of Inti, hence confirming his own possession of desires. Perhaps, no matter how learned you are, the complexity of emotions was not something you could readily measure or define and that one should never underestimate its many glorious incarnations – of fear, or sorrow, of joy, of hatred and of love. Once such mystical reasoning was beyond McCrane – Now, he was at peace with it, accepting that some circumstances eluded explanations more readily than he was before.

The lights from inside the Decker Room eventually terminated McCrane's reverie…as well as Mr. Azuma's call-to-attention at their relatively late arrivals. The Vice Commissioner stood at the podium in front of the Brave polices' office, hands grasping each other behind him in his usual stance, spectacles glinting at the edge from the beam of the morning sun. An additional line of frown crossed the man's forehead and they both knew that at some point, something had caused their superior's displeasure. The rest of the Brave Polices were expectedly there, at their respective seats, Instinctively, the well-known prospect of what awaited them made McCrane groaned inwardly, though respectfully keeping a level expression as best as possible.

It's a good thing that both Deckerd and McCrane were among the most patient of the Brave Polices then as they stood before him, their audio sensors submitted to what experiences had taught them was likely to be an hour-long lecture.


	4. Chapter 4

___**A/N: For an early warning, this fanfic is bound to have its content ratings raised in future chapters (but not now!) for extreme violence, non-consensual, er, encounter, gore and rather explicit sexual materials.**_

_**Also, possible raping of South American ancient cultures regarding its deities in this chapter. I do a lot of winging to connect the cartoons with the facts...sort of.  
**_

_****__**That said...carry on - and thanks for reading!**_

_**XxXxXxXxXx**  
_

_Her origin laid far in the past, when humans were still too young to this world. The kind who would later rose to dominate the world were but an infant at this time, but she was already a being with power enough to stir the fears of men, manipulating them to serve her wicked ends. Perhaps she was once a fair being with enough purity in her heart to have been called a spirit of goodness but if that was the case neither she nor the humans she had remorselessly used remembered it. Her inside held light no more and there was only a howling emptiness inside the soul of Inti, craving indefinitely for satisfaction that would never be. _

_ Either a god, goddess or even a demon, her subjects' titles for her held no concern for her so long as their desires were hers to feed upon. Their greed was such a delicious thing, a honey to her tongue, and she feasted upon it whenever she could with greed of her own. She could never have enough of it – it gave her power to destroy, to dominate, to instill fears that would in turn presented her with more loyal subjects with more desires in their hearts that she could consume. Her vicious appetite was unappeasable, but she managed, for a time, feign benevolence… but there were minds among her subjects that could pierce her convincing falsehood. They were heretics, quietly cropping up among the populace, sending whispers of rebellion that she was too distracted to take notice. And she had made the gravest mistake of underestimating the power of collective efforts and paid the price dearly. Already a being of the spirit world, Inti was condemned to an imprisonment of unusual nature, craftily devised by her supposedly worshipping shamans and priests. They had trapped her and gave her incorporeal form a physical body but they too had ripped her will from the rest of her now-petrified form and sealed her in a similar-but-smaller statue, rendering her larger body lifeless and inanimate. But the shamans knew that the danger had not passed yet – and using all the skills and knowledge at their disposals, had cursed the soul of Inti into an endless slumber with their most powerful binding spells. The shamans and priests knew the hidden power of a mirror, for by reflecting the image of something, it also reflected the power held by the being whose image it was displaying…and essentially, by arranging thousands of the most reflective crystals they could find around the slumbering Inti, they turned her formidable power into caging its very owner in an inescapable slumber. _

_And Inti slept ever since._

_The priests' and shamans' people, whose civilization later would be known in the modern world as Incas, lived free of Inti's influence, and so was the people after them, long after the Incan people themselves were no more, scattered into diminishing tribes. Humans rose to power while Inti went through her punishment, nourishing vengeance through her dreams in her endless slumber. She had no sense of time except for her growing hunger…and when her need to consume was so great it seemed like it would tear her spirit asunder, a victim woke her up. A human with delicious greed, he had unknowingly gained Inti her freedom, breaking the padlocking curse that had kept her both asleep and imprisoned. And he was the first human whose desire he devoured so utterly only horror remained where the human's hope, mutated beyond recognition, had once been. And she continued to feed, satisfying thousands of years' worth of hunger and even managed to be reunited with her gigantic, petrified body…but her victory was foiled by creatures Inti had never remembered seeing. Human-like, with desires akin to the humans, but definitely not one. Skins with toughness that rivaled Inti's stone-form. Power enough to have crumbled civilizations had they let Inti controlled them. The one, whose name she glimpsed from her possession as McCrane, had a delicious desire that she fed and feasted upon, a liquor of great taste that she had to have him twice…but her wonderment ended abruptly the second time when thousands of mirrors flashed their hypnotic lights and reflected back her power into turning against her, once again forcing her into sleep-imprisonment. _

_And in her renewed slumber, Inti screamed in rage. _

_There would come a day when luck and fate would once again sided with her…but for now, her dream was full with echoes of her anger, waiting – as the nights rolled into days and back to nights, the cycle repeating seemingly endlessly – for that moment when she would again be free to feast._

_**XxXxXxXxXx**  
_

Yuuchirou looked up, a hand reflexively lifted to cover his eyes from the glare of the sun. He was used to the heat, of course, having been forced to work under the blazing South American sun day after day in his expedition. Likewise, his wife was not the least bothered by either light or heat, having donned herself a pair of sunglasses and a summer hat in addition to her exercised tolerance for hot weather. People were bustling about the city with little regards to their surrounding and the two Tomonagas were likewise oblivious to them, having had their attentions focused on the building complex that lay before them. It lay in the middle of a vast courtyard sprawled with artful and historic decorations of statues, fountains and trees. There were people strolling about in the place, visitors of little less hurriedness than the citizens they had encountered along the way.

"I miss this place," Yuuchirou could not help the grin – being near anywhere archaeological site always improves his mood and the historic museum he was standing in at the gate now was like his own personal antibiotic against pathogen of dullness.

"Me too. It's wonderful to be back; it _has _been a while since we came here," Amami replied with voice as full with delight as her husband's.

Under the shadows of her hat's brim her eyes sparkled with child-like wonder which reminded her husband of their first meeting. It was indeed a gift to have a wife with the same interests as himself, what with the time he spent outside the country, Yuuchirou thought to himself and pulled Amami closer by her shoulder. Together they took steps into the museum's courtyard, admiring the various stone statues they passed and offering personal assessments to each other. It was not until Yuuchirou heard his name coming from a mouth not of his wife's that they both realized how far they had descended into fascination of their own, so removed from their physical surrounding that neither of them initially realized the approach of the man in the suit, his hair parted in the middle in a fashion of extreme formality.

"Mr. and Mrs. Tomonaga," the man acknowledged, extending his hand once he was within hand-shaking range. For a fraction of a second Yuuchirou found himself stunned by the gesture, preferring the traditional respectful bow when in contact with fellow countrymen before his more professional side took over. With successfully concealed reluctance, the Tomonaga accepted the hand-shake and put a smile to his mouth.

"Mr. Sakaki at your service. I am the Exhibition Designer of the museum," the other man said though neither husband nor wife needed the introduction. They had glimpses of him from time to time whenever there were matters for them to attend at the museum, even having him around during one or two transportations of particularly valuable artefacts. Mr. Sakaki was merely acquaintance at best as far as the Tomonaga couple was concerned and they had not exactly had close contact all these years of cruising the field of archaeology. However, the air of superiority he wore about him solidified Yuuchirou's irritation though his smile remained where it was. Being a global artefact-digger did not spare him from interacting with annoying people – in fact, this Sakaki was actually a mild case.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Sakaki," Yuuchirou replied and his wife mirrored the response. They had had ample training with individuals whose personality deviated from their personal liking and were able to hide whatever it was that bothered them.

"I was informed that you will visit today by the curator, Mr. Ishida. He is away for the moment but will be back shortly. In the meantime, you are free to see the exhibitions." These were said with the barest hint of disdain, apparently finding himself of such high position being an errand-runner of some sort disgraceful, even if it was a supposed favour from the higher-up (or at least, a generous donator, from what Yuuchirou gathered). Yuuchirou instantly predicted prolonged displeasure that would not cease in the man's company. He and Amami uttered the perfunctory thanks and bowed with more stiffness that would have necessary and wasted no time in their departure. After all, neither party looked particularly enthusiastic in the presence of one another.

Though the opening of their visit was discouraging, the rest quickly turned out to be a great experience for them as soon as they stepped beyond the threshold of the main museum complex, where the exhibition items were held for public viewing. In the light of more interesting historical objects, Yuuchirou and Amami's memories of Mr. Sakaki easily faded to bottommost priority while they stopped from one artefact after another, starting with Japan-originated items whose section was the first one they encountered from the main entrance.

"Amami, look here," Yuuchirou called, softly tugging the woman's wife in his direction. What seemed to be a few minutes for the two enthusiasts were in actuality nearing an hour already, and they barely passed their tenth exhibit.

Amami left the gold coins she had been examining, cushioned neatly in padded glass box, for the object that had caught her husband's interest. Peering into the clear glass casing, an old blade lay mounted on a pedestal, its once-sharp edge now chipped on numerous places from extreme uses. Doubtless it had seen blood of numerous foes splashed across its length in its prime.

"Authentic samurai sword from the Edo period, recently unearthed and all in all in pretty good shape."

Both Yuuchirou and Amami jumped; the voice had come from neither of them, but right behind the couple. They whirled around to find a boyish face with freckles splashed across the nose, with a crown of greying hair that matched colours with his beard and thin moustache. Brilliantly sparking eyes peered from behind half-moon spectacles; his mouth was held in a warm smile at the couple in barely-concealed joy.

"Kiyoshi!" The Tomonagas said in unison – indeed, they both were close enough friends with Mr. Ishida that his given name leapt out of their mouths instinctively.

"Ah, it's good to see you two manage it back here; how's life in Mexico?"

"We're adapting, like we always do – but we're doing quite well," Yuuchirou grinned. Standard formality was soon forgotten in company of such easy-going person that no bow or hand-shake was exchanged, instead resuming straight to the conversing part.

"Hmmm, I miss globetrotting with you all but I'm well past my prime. The museum's as good a substitution as I can get these days, and being a curator kept me close to my past," Mr. Ishida said with an air of wistful longing. In overall he was in good shape but genetic commandment had subjected him to Type 1 Diabetes, which disrupted his life significantly enough to hinder him from travelling or being out in the field for days without regular infusion of insulin. Archaeology lost a valuable figure the day Mr. Ishida was diagnosed with the ailment. However, as soon as the dark mood set in, he quickly shook himself out of it and clapped his hand. "Say, have you done visiting yet? If so, I have something I want to show you!"

No, they have not, but Mr. Ishida was almost jumping on the balls of his feet and whatever it was that excited him was worth the priority of his companions too. Yuuchirou and Amami said as much and they were soon led by the older man through passageway restricted to the public. The voices of the visitors they left were muffled but still audible, separated by several walls with considerable thickness, but Yuuchirou and Amami felt not the least comfortable. To them, the atmosphere reminded of forgotten tomb with treasure waiting to be found – and with the prospect of something interesting to be seen, it was sort of figurative treasure for them. At first, Yuuchirou thought that they were heading for their host's office, for notes or articles worthy of note, but the ex-archaeologist led them instead to an area closed with an oak door marked 'STORAGE'.

The trio walked inside, and once the curator flicked on the lamps, both Tomonagas found themselves in a vast room with rows of multi-levelled metal shelves, each filled with artefacts and other historical objects waiting for restoration before they could made it to the exhibit. At present, no one could be seen working on the objects but they were obviously well-cared for. One side of the room was dedicated with metal safes and boxes attached to the wall, inside would obviously be filled with many archaeological objects. The air smelled with a hint of age from the many artefacts stored here – Yuuchirou glimpsed pieces of ancient clay kitchenware on one of the metal shelves – and though generously lit, the place still held a quality of mystery.

"You've been busy," Yuuchirou commented, referring to the many objects he had supposedly acquired for the museum's exhibit.

"Curators still have to find subjects of the past, we just don't have pull Indiana Jones stuffs anymore," He smiled but did not elaborate on the matter. He seemed keen on reaching their destinations as soon as possible and the Tomonaga's intrigue was heightened by the mere hastiness of the man.

Through the space between the shelves they went, Mr. Ishida eventually brought them to the back of the room, where a table stood in prominent relief thanks to the lamp directly overhead. Upon it was a rectangular wooden crate and unassuming in its appearance; the palpable excitement surrounding the museum's curator was saying otherwise. His eagerness proved to be infectious because Yuuchirou and Amami could scarcely hold themselves from overtaking Mr. Ishida in the wooden crate's revelation if not for their sense of respect and propriety. The older man pulled the lid with surprising gentleness and invited them both for a peek inside once the lid was off; the gasps he managed to pull out from both of his guests satisfied him. In unison, Yuuchirou and Amami looked up from the crate's content, their coin-round eyes seeking confirmation in the face of the older man, hardly able to believe their eyes without the curator's guaranteeing word.

The triumphant, almost smug grin Mr. Ishida was already the answer they needed, even without the equally satisfied, "I give you the lost goddess of the Macchu Picchu…Inti!"

**_xxxxx_**

"…Now what?"

Yuuta found himself asking with no one to answer but himself; quite in contrary with his parents, Yuuta was in a duller situation even among the Tokyo denizens. Considering that he was without company, and with Yuuta himself preferring the presences of friends and families, the lack thereof expectedly turned his outing to the city into a rather uneventful experience that Yuuta almost wished for a criminal to show up in the city streets rampaging in his giant robot or whatever machine-of-doom he had at disposal, if only to break the greyness in his time. While his parents left for the museum, Yuuta too went to the city for his phone-buying; he had leisurely spent the whole morning flitting from one shop to another, searching one kiosk before moving on to the next, until at last he settled down for one he had taken a liking at a fairly reasonable price. It was a handsome piece of a gadget, with silver casing and installed with applications Yuuta was quite sure to be unnecessary, unless it was for pure fun.

He had spent time exploring his new cellphone, yet as he perused through its many entertainments, Yuuta admitted that he wished more for a living companion rather than a gadget to play with. Returning home would likely be as useless, what with everyone engaged in their own jobs…even Deckerd would find himself occupied, just like the other Brave Polices during the working hours. Yuuta heaved out a despairing sigh; he could choose to go anywhere, but anywhere would still not provide him with companionship that he longed right now unless –

"Yuuta!"

For a few crazy moments, Yuuta did really think that his name had come from the cellphone he was holding; a second later, he realized that the calling voice was not only feminine, but rather familiar to his ears. No, not family-level familiar (or Deckerd-level familiar; Yuuta could have sworn that the Brave Detective uttered his name more times than his own sisters did – not that he minded), but it was nevertheless recognized. Turning around to face its source, Yuuta discovered that the voice's owner was indeed known to him – though the girl waving at him was most definitely unexpected to be there.

"M-Miroku?"

Yuuta mumbled, a little disbelievingly at the newcomer; in knee-high skirt, casual blouse overlapped with black cardigan, and heeled boots of the same colour as the aforementioned cardigan, Miroku's tasteful outfits were the opposite of Yuuta's more simple wear of short-sleeved tee and a pair of faded blue jeans. However, her outward appearance was nothing of a surprise to the young man but rather her very presence at Tokyo; Miroku Satori was a Hokkaido denizen rather than Tokyo, but was sent for her high school study at Nanamagari – which was where Yuuta came to meet her.

Of course, that was before his regional police training at Hokkaido (_somewhat ironic, come to think of it_, Yuuta thought); with Mr. Saejima having to acquiesce with conditions from _his _superiors, Yuuta's comparatively easy induction into the Japan Police Force was paid with the three-year training at Hokkaido police academy. There were many good memories fostered during those times, but he was unwilling to recall the farewells of his Nanamagari schoolmates on his last day (or the Brave Polices' downcast response – including Deckerd's. Hell, _especially _Deckerd's), and Miroku's tear-eyed "good-bye" was a rather depressing example.

And now, out of the blue, after three years, she rematerialized before his eyes.

"Like magic," Yuuta muttered under his breath before taking strides towards her. As they came face to face, Yuuta initially thought that she had grown taller at drastic pace before realizing that the heeled boots were granting her that extra height he had initially confused as growth spurt.

"Hi, Yuuta!" The smile on her face was an endearing one, and Yuuta was infected to reply likewise with his grin. It was, after all, a cheery prospect to be reunited with someone he saw as a sisterly figure.

"Wow, this is unexpected," He said, and laughed at his own speechlessness. She giggled too, the same sound of mirth as he had always remembered…and the surge of brotherly love washed him anew. It was part of the reason he had grown so close to her before; in seeing her alone at her desk in the classroom, Yuuta perceived an air of shyness and sorrow of being excluded, not out of pride but because of simple matter of feeling out-of-place. She was an out-of-towner among close-knitted circle of friends and Yuuta's compassion was invoked at the gloomy sight. It thus created the basis for which their friendship grew over the years.

"That's an understatement, Yuuta," She resumed her giggling, carefree with her usage of Yuuta's given name. And neither did the man minded, for in his mind this girl was the younger sister he never had; as the youngest of the Tomonagas, Yuuta had never had himself a younger soul to care for before Miroku. "Wow…I never thought I'll ever chance upon you. This is AMAZING!"

Yuuta felt a shot of remorse at that; his training had been guilty at consuming his time at the academy that he barely had time (or energy; sometimes he returned to his dormitory with only enough energy to shower before falling asleep) to do some connecting with people outside. "Well, what it we 'celebrate' this little occasion? I heard an excellent café somewhere around here that I haven't had the chance to try."

"Okay – but you'll be paying!" She exclaimed, already taking steps towards said café – whether she really knew which one Yuuta was referring to was anyone's guess though, but the young man followed her nevertheless, feeling as if he owed her that much for his failure to keep in contact.

_**xxxxx**_

For a moment or two, they stood frozen in sheer awe by the revelation. Their scientific minds were abuzz with curiousity at the object Mr. Ishida was showing them; the wooden crate was lined with mirrors on the inside wall, and laid with protective fabric on the bottom, cushioning the object that had amazed the Tomonagas even at their first glimpse – an emerald statue of an ancient goddess, long forgotten by civilizations and sought after by those who tried to read the histories of the world. Though only less than half of its entirety survived, what did remain of the intact-statue was otherwise in remarkable conditions – Yuuchirou could still make out the delicate carving of necklace painted with gold round its neck. Its face was also discernible, though strangely with no visible mouth; the holes that served as eye-representatives were filled with bright gemstones of some sort, playing with the light that fell upon them beautifully until they seemed to glow golden in one angle or rustic red from another.

"My god, Kiyoshi…Is this for real? Inti?"

It was the real thing, alright, and Yuuchirou's expert eyes knew its authenticity even without the affirming nods from Mr. Ishida. Inti was widely known as a Sun God…but relatively new discovery had revealed a second obscure figure, with curiously the same name as aforementioned deity of Incan creation, a goddess of unknown origin, worshipped briefly before disappearing almost entirely from the history of Inca; she was sought after exactly because of her rarity – scholars were dying to uncover the truth in her identity and roles but their searches were greatly hindered by the fact that South American ancient languages were barely decipherable, unlike the ancient Egyptians' hieroglyphs. However, only handfuls had been successfully revealed from the passage of time, and one of the most prominent ones had been excavated in Macchu Picchu ruins some eleven years ago and had been subsequently transported to Japan for exclusive display –

"Wait, Kiyoshi…" Yuuchirou's mind raced as his memories strung together, "Where did you get this statue?"

"Why, I have the underwater pipeline repair crew to thank to! They were fixing a broken pipe when they found bits of Inti statue lying on the bottom – I was lucky that they reported this to the museum…" Mr. Ishida finished with obvious satisfaction. It was really a stroke of fortune to have been informed of this accidental discovery for to untrained eyes the debris of the statue might not hold any historical value whatsoever.

Yuuchirou felt his wife tightening her hold on his arm, a reflexive action manifested from her shock – and worry. This must be the very same statue that had given the Brave Polices – and his son – such a headache when the Inti spirit residing within it came to life and parasitize humans she had chanced upon, eleven years ago. The public was informed with veiled truths, for announcing that an ancient goddess had been unleashed among the populace would be pushing their luck too much – so it was instead published that an animatronic exhibit had gone haywire, and the people injured during the events were told that they were disoriented and traumatized by the experiences instead of being mythically possessed. However, neither Yuuchirou nor Amami was just any member of the public, with having a son who commanded the Brave Polices of Japan, and Yuuta was obliged to tell his parents the truth. Though lamenting the loss of such valuable artefacts, they both were relieved that her unusual threat had been eradicated and that her statues, both the large and the small ones, had been lost in the depth of Tokyo Bay. Until now, that is.

Obviously, the Tomonagas' faces betrayed something about the apprehension upon discovering the origin of the statue sand Mr. Ishida was perplexed by this short change from excitement to reluctance. "Yuuchirou, what is it?"

Said man snapped out of his reverie and quickly regained his speech, "I was just wondering…Do you have any plan in putting it into exhibit?"

"After the massacre she caused eleven years ago? Goodness no," The curator answered, swiftly and confidently, surprising both Tomonagas in the process. "They say we are bound to repeat history if we don't learn from it; I don't think I'm that big a fool to assume that doing exactly what we tried to do before would not have the same result."

Belatedly, Yuuchirou was reminded that he was among the people charged with setting up the previous exhibit, eleven years ago; his inclusion with the affair had secured him the knowledge that was kept from the public. Like Yuuchirou and Amami, he knew that there had been no animatronics on the loose, and the hospitalized people were not injured out of delirium. "But why are you showing this to us?"

"For starters? Because I know you will be interested. You both are my friends, and I will be happy to share my excitement with my dearest colleagues. Besides, you of all people I know are specialized in South American cultures…I daresay you will appreciate the opportunity to study it more greatly than others I can think of."

He spoke with perfect honesty and sincerity that Yuuchirou found himself doubting no more. Obviously Mr. Ishida had taken extra care not to have the accident repeating itself this time around; the mirrors lining the inside of the crate reflected the state Inti was originally found and the statue seemed only to have minimal human contact in its latest management. Moreover, the statue itself was no longer whole – perhaps whatever spirit it once housed had fled into the darkness, and the Heart of Inti, the larger statue, had been further destroyed beyond repair. Still, Yuuchirou could not help but ask, "Is it safe, though? How many people have handled the statue?"

"A crew of about fifteen are involved in extracting it from the bay, but only myself and my other assistant have any direct contact. I'm sure it's safe enough for a little observation…it has never been outside the crate once I've put it in – " He gestured towards the mirrors covering the inside surface of the crate, " – and so far as I can tell, I have yet to found people walking around with Inti wrapped about them."

Though there was truth in it, the light-heartedness with which the assurance was delivered took the tension off the edges. Mr. Ishida was cautious in his excitement, they could tell, and they were themselves wary of the potential disaster it might cause when they decided to haul the statue out of its eleven-year underwater grave. And yet…

"Shall we?" Mr. Ishida gestured towards the statue, the twinkling in his eyes suggestive enough of his invitation – and invitation that Yuuchirou, being the enthusiastic archaeologist he was, could never have refused.

_**xxxxx**_

_She was without power…and she was _starving.

_Though asleep, Inti's senses went out to the world around her. She longed for sustenance and beyond her imprisoned slumber, there was a beating heart of man whose desires beckoned to her, and the power of his greed's lure roused her from her accursed sleep. Oh, how she wanted to devour them all but the damnable mirrors held her prison, binding her beyond the mortal world. With her power diminished by hunger, and her statue broken, she had no mobility even if she broke free – she needed conduit, a replacement to her unsalvageable statue, to be able to live again…_

_But she could wait, oh yes, she could. After all, she had been imprisoned for thousand of years before and neither was she idle in her waiting. She might not have enough power left to sustain her possession, as she wont during her past reign of terror, but even in her crippled state her hypnosis manifested subtly in the minds of her nearby preys. She lured them, their eyes drawn to her wrecked form, summoning their interests with her silent voice – it was easy to achieve because there were already basis within them to which her power could find its hold. _

_But it was not enough._

_There was a natural fascination in the aged prey that her power could manipulate but try as she might, Inti's soul could not find a bridge to cross into the man's mind. For days and nights, since he had been 'kind' enough to uncover her from her watery place, Inti dreamt to feast on her saviour's desires. But the mirrors surrounding her had kept her chained to her statue form where she could only lament her inability while feeling his admiring hands and eyes on her; teased by their physical nearness but his delicious greed remained beyond her reach. However, her hope was revived, after days of frustration, when she felt her senses pickup up the presences of two more minds with similarly usable desires of their own. Perhaps she would have better luck with these two newcomers…_

**xxxxx**_  
_

Yuuchirou was completely drawn in by the Inti statue. Even if there was only little left of it to be fascinated over, the archaeologist in him was excited at the sight of such obscure South American goddess right before his eyes. The Fat Lady must have sung at her highest falsetto to have granted him such fortune. The Sun God Inti was famous enough, but to have actually laid eyes on the lesser Inti, the unknown Incan goddess was a privilege not many could claim to have. He stretched out a hand and touched his fingers to Inti's stone shoulder.

Yuuchirou was too drowned in his enthusiasm at first, but the smile on his face was wiped away when he suddenly jerked his hand back with a pained gasp.

"Yuuchirou, what… – ?" Amami was quick to ask, concerned at her husband's unexpected reaction but the other hastily waived her off her concern.

"Nothing – just scratched myself a bit," He muttered and showed her his index finger – a small gash was oozing thin line of blood at the very tip of it, apparently seared open when he made contact with the statue's form. "Stupid me – I didn't notice that there was a crack there."

Amami leaned close to the spot pointed by Yuuchirou and noticed that there was indeed a minute fault in Inti's shoulder, its jagged edges glistening with a fresh layer of Yuuchirou's blood. The woman shook her head but could not really blame her husband for the injury – he might be overly enthusiastic to the point of being reckless at times, but this was a wound anyone could have easily gotten; instead she carefully wrapped the fingertips with a tissue she happened to brought along in her pocket, tying it securely to stop the bleeding.

"Perhaps we should have been more careful…" Mr. Ishida slipped in, his tone apologetic as he drew out a pair of gloves from its box, which he had quickly snatched from a nearby shelf. He had been caught up in the Tomonagas' infectious captivation that he too had apparently became oblivious to his surroundings, even forgetting the most basic procedure in handling an artefact.

"Yeah…we should. And sorry about that," Yuuchirou said lightly, implying readily-given forgiveness for his part. He took the advice to heart and accepted the gloves and donning them straightaway. He was impatient to get back down to business, and the stone goddess lying in the crate seemed to hold for him an invitation to satiate every curiousity he had concocting in his heart. What he did _not _know, however, was that the next time he came into contact with the statue, Yuuchirou had unknowingly made himself the first host to a newly-awakened Inti.


End file.
